Sweetie Let me Give You The Daddy
by Mina Lisly
Summary: #SEQUEL for Give Me The Daddy, I'll Give You The Sugar. - "The best investment I ever made, was when I lost fifty million dollars and met the love of my life as a result of that." - {OOC/AH/AU} Romance/Drama/Hurt
1. Prologue

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

**💚So, this is an early update because someone had the bright idea of telling me it's their birthday and asking for this as a present ... But that being said, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!**

**💚Now, in case it wasn't clear, this will be a Christian POV story. and I know you will want Ana's PoV, but it will just be Christian. **

**💚Also, As I said, I will no longer answer reviews (To be fair, I've been doing this for years, so don't hate me too much) But they are always MORE than welcome. They are like fuel to me, so don't be shy, I always like to know what you think. And I will keep on answering Pm. And don't forget to let me know which story you want to be updated. **

‼️**DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW**‼️

**Love, Mina **💚💚💚

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy**💚

**Prologue (2,4K)**

For the umpteenth time, Christian paced in the living room of his parents' home, doing his best to not look at the door and see the disappointment that no one had come through it yet. He tried to reason himself over and over again, finding all the excuses in the world as to why Ana still hadn't come as Elliott had promised.

At first, it was still early. Then she might have had some problems with the border since Elliott mentioned she promised to bring a cake. Then, after Elliott had tried to call her, and she didn't pick up, he started thinking that maybe she forgot her phone back in New York. Or maybe she had been working a bit and would arrive in the late afternoon.

But now that Elliott was on his way to tug in Jason who was crying his eyes out because he wouldn't get to see Ana, Christian had to admit it to himself, she simply didn't come. There were no excuses. She just decided that wasn't going to show up, and she didn't even have the decency to call ahead.

With a loud sigh, Christian finally stopped pacing, longing to be alone and finally get a drink. All-day long, he had resisted the sweet call of a nice whiskey to calm his nerves, and all he wanted now was to drown his anxiety in the drown liquid. He curtly took leave of his parents, but when he was at the front door, his father rested his hand on his shoulder to stop him,

"Son …"

"I'm alright, Dad. I just want to go home. I still have work to do and can't let this day go unproductive and to waste."

"Life has its ups and downs. And we are here for you for the two ends of that spectrum."

Christian looked at his father, and he knew what Ana would have told him to do at this right moment, use the opportunity to spend time with his family. But he was angry at her, at himself and certainly not in the right mindset to receive life lessons and pity looks from his parents.

So he straightened up, and said, "As I told you before. I just have work to do. I'll call you guys later before going to Macau."

He then left without giving his father the opportunity to say anything or call Grace for backup. He drove back to his penthouse, realising as he did so that this was a habit that was born out of Ana. He always had Taylor drive him everywhere when he was in Seattle, but she had convinced him that it was inappropriate for him to have a driver when he would visit his family.

At the time, he agreed with her, because it meant that if he was drinking, they would have to stay at his parents' place, and he would get to sleep with her in his arms. But now, it just became an inconvenience once again. He couldn't work and drive at the same time. This was the reason why he had drivers and chauffeurs.

Once back in his apartment, he was almost tempted to ask Taylor to take him to his jet so he could go to New York, but he thought better of it. He was supposed to go over the weekend anyway, before going to Macau for the hotel opening. There was no point rushing there before he needed to be there.

He poured himself a glass of whiskey, burying himself in his study and working on the few things he had postponed so he could be at his parents' house. Elliott had always been an optimistic dreamer. In his heart of heart, despite the hope that burnt in him, he knew it was too good to be true. He knew that, no matter what, Ana would stick to the contract.

Of course, he had tried to talk to her after that disastrous conversation. He showed up at Raymond's office twice, but each time, he had missed her. So he sent roses to her office, so she could see that he understood she was mad that he showed up at her place, but that he was sorry as well.

But he never heard from her. And though he didn't ask, Raymond did mention that the roses hadn't been received the way he had hoped. She had been embarrassed and hid in the bathroom. So it became clear to Christian that she was through with him, though there was still this little hope that one day she didn't completely forget about him. She never returned all the things he got for her, and though he didn't expect them, he knew it was in her character to do so.

He drank a couple of more glasses of whiskey, reading over the notes that Ros had sent him, and after he was done, he leaned against the headrest of his chair, closing his eyes as his hand played with the box in his pocket. Nothing had happened the way he had planned since her birthday.

First of all, she had been supposed to call back so he could tell her over the hone that he wanted to keep on seeing her outside the terms of their contract. He would have hinted that he wanted a more permanent one, one that would make her his to the eyes all, people as well as God. But she didn't call, nor even picked up when _he_ tried to call her. So he bit his bone, and when he came back to New York, a week after being back in the US, he went to see her.

And of course, she was all chummy with that punk of a comedian, and he lost his temper. And all the things he had wanted to tell her came out wrong because of his anger. Just like she did, he barely listened to what she had to say, all too happy to blame it on her that they were falling apart. And he couldn't help but think that, if she had listened to him, they would still be together.

Well, if she hadn't said those last fateful words.

He played with the ring he had bought for her whilst he was in Asia. To was an 18 carats white gold ring, with a big white diamond topping it. If everything had gone according to plan, he would have proposed when he came back to New York, instead of being kicked out by the woman he loved of her apartment.

In all honesty, he had brought the ring with him, in the hope that, if she showed up, he could finally get the chance to propose. He even already had the perfect way to make her say yes, invoking that it was his birthday and that she couldn't turn him down on such a day.

He was barely aware of his office door opening, lost in his contemplation of the ring and what could have happened. Elliott walked to him, probably to take his drink form him as he did much time over the past few months, but his brother froze in his tracks when his blue eyes landed on the jewellery box.

For a moment, he stayed silent, before telling Christian, "I'm sure something happened. I mean, it doesn't look like her not to pick up her phone."

Christian snorted and closed the box before pouring himself another glass. If Ana wasn't picking up, it was because she didn't want to have anything to do with him. After all, Elliott himself had told him many times that Ana never talked about him or their relationship.

Elliott glanced at the box that was still on the table, and he finally asked what he had avoided for months, "Is this the reason why she broke?"

For a moment, Christian was tempted to lie, so he could get his brother off his back. sure, he had spent a lot of time at Elliott's house since the breakup, but it was for selfish reasons. First of all, he didn't want to be alone in his flat after Ana. second, he wanted to know what it felt like to live with kids. After all, this was the one thing he knew he couldn't give Ana, and being with his nephews only comforted him in this reality.

Sure, he had gotten closer to Julian and Jason, to the point that he had his own personal drawings for both Christmas and his birthday. But he also realised that they were always an afterthought. Many times, he cancelled on the kids, because he had a meeting or a last-minute business trip abroad, and though he knew that Ana didn't mind for herself, she would mind for her kids.

In the end, he was right. He didn't have time for a wife and even less for kids. He would never be able to do what Elliott was doing with his sons.

He deeply breathed in, and admitted, "I said some words that came out wrong. And I did some things that I should have done, and said some things I shouldn't have said."

"No one is perfect, Peanut."

"She was. To me. She was the perfect fit for me and my lifestyle …"

Elliott chortled, sitting on the desk though still facing his brother, "Doesn't Ana want kids? How does that fit for you?"

Christian nodded, gulping down the rest of his glass. "Indeed. You're right. No one is perfect."

He poured himself another glass, though Elliott was glaring at him. His grey eyes were lost into space as he recalled the moment he knew he loved her. It was exactly two years ago when she made him go to his parents' party for his birthday. It was when she laughed with his father, something that started out as shy, but ended being a genuine laugh that he realised he loved her. He doubted she even knew he had been looking at her at the time, but he had. And getting to fall asleep with her in his arms had been the best feeling in the world.

Deep down, he knew he should have told her as soon as he had known. But on the other hand, Ana had always been very vocal on her wishes to get married and even more, have children. And this had been the constant battle for months on end. Every time he thought he should just tell her and break the contract, she would say something about kids that would make him recoil.

And of course, to top it all, Raymond Steele came up with that stupid London idea, and Christian had never seen her so excited about something.

Elliott rested his hand on his brother's shoulder and tried to keep his hope alive, "Maybe you should try calling her friend. I mean, she seemed genuine when she said she would come. I. Don't —."

"She doesn't want to talk to me, Elliott. And I don't think shell ever forgive me for what happened."

Elliott didn't say a thing, waiting for Christian to elaborate, and Christian sipped on his whiskey. He hesitated before saying, 'We weren't actually dating."

"I figured."

Christian rose an eyebrow, and his brother explained, "You don't mix business and pleasure, and yet, you put her in contact with your top lawyer."

"She wasn't an escort," Christian quickly said, because he knew how important it was to her. In fact, this was the whole reason behind their argument. The fact that he made her feel like a prostitute.

"Oh, don't worry. Though I don't put you above paying for sex, it doesn't seem to be in Ana's character to receive money for sex. But that's not the point. The point is that you love her."

Christian paled, the gravity of his action finally raining on him. He always saw the money as the end of their contract. But now, now that his own brother who didn't get to spend much time with Ana, and yet could tell she wouldn't appreciate receiving money straight after sex, now he understood how important it was to Ana and how degraded she felt.

He played with the box concealing the ring, and confessed his sin, "It was her birthday when we went to Washington … and … I got carried away. I wanted to speak to her, but we ended up making love …" He deeply breathed in, and continued, "And … I treated the whole affair just like any other contract."

"Did you give money to the woman you love after having had sex with her?" Elliott asked, obfuscated, and when Christian nodded, the older brother smacked the younger one behind his head.

"It was in the terms of our contract," Christian defended himself, glaring at his brother.

"And sometimes, contracts are meant to be broken or forgone. What kind of person want to get paid by the one they love after having had sex with them? How would you feel if the roles had been reversed?"

Christian ignored him, letting him rant. What he was saying wasn't new. It was mostly what Ana said when he went to her place. In fact, had she not say that one sentence, he would have argued with her and made her see reason, made her see that she was wrong, and he was the one who was right. It was his job, after all, he was used to confusing people so much, that they ended up agreeing with his terms, without even batting an eye or regretting it.

But then, she mentioned henry. And that was the reason why he backed away. Because nothing could have hurt his ego more than what she said, that he had made her feel worst than that piece of shit ever did. Henry who did not hesitate to slander her behind her back still had more honour in her eyes than he did.

And without even realising it, he said out loud, "He was right, after all."

"What?"

"He said, she would make me fall for her, and then, disregard me like an old sock."

"Who said that?"

"Henry."

"I don't even care who that is. If you still love her, Christian, you should just tell her. Admit to her that you fucked up, and start over with her, on a normal and healthy relationship."

Christian gulped down his drink. "I know why she didn't come, Elliott. It's because she moved on. She's going to London soon, and there's nothing I could say that could make her love me the way I want."

He looked at the bottle, before turning the empty glass upside down, and putting it on the table as he got up, taking the resolution to stop growing his sorrows in alcohol.

"She moved on, and so should I."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed💚**

**💚 So, this is the prologue. How many of you hate Ana? 😈 And what about what Christian said about Henry? Why do you think she did not come?**

**💚What do you think of this prologue? And what do you think the chapter titles will be about? Anyone guessing can ask any question they like ^^**

**💚 I'm always curious about your favourite part, and what you think will happen next, so let me know.**

💚** EL James owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	2. Chapter 1: Aquamarine & Chivas Regal

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

**💚So, this is a late update, because well, I have no excuse, just me being me. haha. Also, I just saw _The Invisible Man_, and I liked it quite a bit. Haha. **

**💚Now, you can all thank my beta for getting rid of all my mistakes, haha. **

**💚Also, As I said, I will no longer answer reviews (To be fair, I've been doing this for years, so don't hate me too much) But they are always MORE than welcome. They are like fuel to me, so don't be shy, I always like to know what you think. And I will keep on answering Pm. And don't forget to let me know which story you want to be updated. **

‼️**DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW**‼️

**Love, Mina **💚💚💚

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy**💚

**Chapter 1: Aquamarine & Chivas Regal: (3,0K)**

Exactly five years after their last night together Christian woke up alone, his first thoughts going to Ana. It was her birthday today, and like every year since they fell apart, he wondered if she was going to celebrate it on her own, or if she had replaced him with someone new.

In all honesty, he had been deeply tempted to put someone on her back, just so he could know how she was doing since she never contacted him after his birthday, but he knew that it was a bad idea. Ana would never appreciate knowing that she had been followed like a common criminal, and given her background, Christian didn't want to risk her finding out on her own and blaming him for it.

Still, via Raymond and Elliott, he knew a couple of things about her. She had stayed in London a year longer than planned, so the couple of years she was supposed to work abroad turned into more than three. And though he never asked, Raymond let him know between two conversations that she never went down the road she wanted when she came back to New York.

This turned into a fight between the two men, during which Christian accused Raymond of doing exactly what he had been dreading since Ana had told him Raymond had offered her an easy way out. He had lured her into the world of business, when it was obvious to Christian that Ana wanted to help the unfortunate children who were going through the system.

But Raymond assured Christian that this had been Ana's decision entirely, and that he even had tried to convince her to pursue her earlier dreams. Apparently, Ana had had a change of heart due to personal reasons. So now she was working for Raymond in his firm, focusing on business, even though Christian never would have pictured her as a business lawyer.

In all honesty, he didn't know much about Ana's new life without him, because even though she worked for Raymond and was still in contact with Elliott, the two men seemed to have understood that the less Christian knew about it, the better it was. He didn't want to hear about her new life without him, especially when he was failing so miserably to have one without her.

He did try to move on, he even went as far as going out with a couple of girls, but it didn't work which infuriated him. He had always managed to achieve what he had set his mind to in life, and this simple thing of getting over a girl who obviously didn't want to be with him anymore seemed to be the hardest thing he had ever done.

Of course, when he had hinted at it to his mother over the first Christmas without Ana, she went all shrink on him and claimed that it was because it wasn't his mind that was involved, but his heart. This was the last Christmas he spent with his family, always making sure he was working abroad when any sort of celebration happened. It wasn't much that he wanted to stay away from them, but he was getting tired of the look of pity from them. Especially since neither Julian nor Jason seemed to understand that he didn't want to hear about Ana.

She kept sending boys packages filled with goodies and typical British things, and the boys always marvelled at it. At first, he would drown out the childish noises with alcohol, but he quickly stopped that habit after his birthday. He didn't like the way he felt dependant on the liquid to feel a certain way. So, he had stopped drinking when he was not working, but didn't limit himself while on the clock, having business meetings and such. Grace had said that it wasn't healthy either, that he should stop and see the difference between social drinking and having a drink or two at a meeting.

Of course, there had been a couple of times when he had slipped up, but there was always a good reason. For instance, when Ana called him a week after failing to show up to his birthday, without any sort of excuse or apology.

_It was a week after his birthday, and Christian had spent the whole week in New York. It was mainly for business reasons, but the first thing he had done when he got back to the Big Apple was going to her apartment to demand a reason for bailing on him on his birthday. _

_But she hadn't been home, even though he had gone there rather late on a work night. He didn't want to ask Raymond because he didn't like the idea of someone working for him knowing so much about his love life. This was the reason why he confined Taylor to Seattle when things started getting serious with Ana. Sure, it coincided with him having his child, but he just didn't want one person to have so much power over him by knowing everything there was to know about his personal life. _

_He was in a car on his way to the airport so he could be present for the hotel's inauguration in Macau. Over the past months, Mr and Mrs Cho had been asking about Ana quite a lot, hoping to see her again, and Christian always eluded the issue. Just like he still hadn't released any statement about him and Ana no longer being in a relationship. Deep down, he still had a sort of foolish hope. _

_But now, after that disastrous birthday when his hope had been shattered into a million pieces, he had concluded that Ana was through with him, and just didn't know how to announce it to his brother. The only thing he was afraid of now was that someday she might get together with Elliott instead of him. _

_He spoke with Ros over the phone, scheduling their program for the few days he would be abroad, and just as he hung up, he subtly let her know that he wanted her to take over the New York office whilst he would go back to Seattle. Unlike Ros, he never liked the City, and the only thing that made him appreciate it with a new eye now hated him and was about to leave for the Brits. _

_After he hung up, he closed his eyes and rested his head backwards, wondering what his next project to keep his mind occupied would be. His trousers were telling him to get another girl, even if it was just for a night, just to get Ana out of his system, but as he had explained to the brunette, it was difficult to find a girl, even for the one night. _

_His phone buzzed in his hand, and he answered without checking the caller ID. For a moment, no one spoke, though Christian could hear noises on the other end of the call. Twice he tried to grab the attention of the other party before he opened his eyes and checked who it was. But it was a number that wasn't registered on his phone. _

_"Hi, Christian." _

_He sat up straight, his eyes fixed on the number as he recognised Ana's voice. It seemed different from what he had gotten used to. It wasn't an upbeat voice ready to laugh with him. In fact, she seemed drained. He would even say on the verge of tears, if it wasn't for the fact that Ana never cried. Over their two years together, he never even once saw the glimpse of a tear in her eyes, not even during their separation. _

_But that didn't change the fact that, "It's good to hear your voice." _

_She cleared her throat and Christian hated that he was feeling so unsure. He was a businessman, after all, he was used to talking to people and getting what he wanted out of them. But as usual, when it came to Ana, he felt like a stupid teenager all over again. And yet, the way she looked at him always made him feel like the most powerful person the cosmos, like he could do anything just to keep her smiling. _

_"Raymond said you were in New York. Can we ... meet?" She asked, and Christian checked his watch, checking the time. _

_"I'm going to Macau. I'm on my way to the airport, right now. You know, it's the hotel's opening," He explained _

_"But you're still in New York right now, though? I just ... really want to see you." _

_"I can fly you there. I'm barely twenty minutes away from the airport. To be honest, the Chos have been asking about you, and I'd love to have you by my side on this important night." _

_"No. No, I don't want to go to Macau. I don't need you to fly me anywhere ... I ... I just ... I really need to speak with you. I'd rather do it in person, but — " _

_"I don't want to have that conversation over the phone, Ana. We'll talk when I get back," He cut her off, finally understanding why she was calling. _

_It wasn't to get back with him, it was to set things straight and give the two of them closure. And he wanted a few weeks to prepare for that conversation, so he could find arguments to maybe win her back. _

_There was a small silence, and for a moment, Christian thought that she had hung up. But then, she said, "Couldn't you ... I don't know, delay your flight of a day? Or a few hours?" _

_"I have to go there, it's work. You understand." _

_Once again, there was a silence, before Ana said, clearing her throat once again, "Yes, yes, I do. Sorry about that." _

_"I'll be back in New York in a month, and I'll come to see you first thing." _

_"_**_A month_**_?!" _

_"Yes. I must go to Paris after Macau, and I have a few things to do in Seattle afterwards. But I should be back in New York by the middle of May, and I'll get to you then." _

_"It's okay, Christian. I just ... wanted to ... just have a proper closure between us. It was messy the way things ended, and I thought we could just talk things over. I just wish you all the best in life." _

_The cab pulled over in front of the airport, but Christian did not move, slightly panicking at the sudden determined tone behind Ana's voice. _

_"Ana, we'll talk when I get back. I promise." _

_"It's okay. As I said, it was just for closure, and I just got it. You have your priorities, and I have mine. I won't have time when you'll be back. I'll be travelling by then." _

_"Well, let me fly you in. I told you, Ana I want you by my side for the opening." _

_"It's okay, Christian," She said for the third time, and he could hear the sad and condescending smile in her voice. "I understand. You have your work and your company, and I have my life to get in order. In fact, you should get ready for Macau, and I should get ready for London. I still have a lot to do. Once again, I wish you the best in life." _

When he came back to New York a month later, Ana had already left for London, and he had no way of contacting her. Sure, he could have easily tracked her down, but her reaction when he had shown up at her apartment prevented him from doing so. And there was his pride as well.

She had always known that work was important to him, and that he would always prioritise it, so why did she get upset when he did what he had always done. Of course, he had to put his company first, this was no news, and this had been the basis of their relationship.

At least, that's how he felt when he came back only to realise that she was already gone. In retrospect, after many conversations with Elliott, Christian had to admit that he might have been somewhat wrong in the way he handled things. Ana never asked anything from him. Even when it came to money, he was the one constantly pushing it towards her, she had always asked for his time rather than anything material.

At the time he refused because of cowardice. He didn't want the closure that seeing her again was ultimately going to bring. But as Elliott pointed out, she had insisted, probably so she could see him at least once before leaving. In fact, he did find himself in London for business just a few months after Macau, and Elliott tried to be the intermediary between them, but she had claimed she had things to do that couldn't be postponed, not even for a day.

And when Christmas came, the worst happened. She sent him a letter. He knew what the content of that letter was because he knew Elliott had been campaigning for him every time, he had spoken to her on the phone. This letter was her asking him to stick to their contract. It was her letting him know that there was no possible future for the two of them.

This night, he drank on his own, staring at the letter and debating if he should take that closure that she was offering, but in the end, he refused. Keeping the letter sealed in his office and stumbling his way back to her room in his apartment when he snored his way to the next day.

It was after this day that he decided to consciously avoid her. He swiped places with Ros, who was more than happy to come to the Big Apple since she had always been a city girl, and mostly stayed in Seattle. He also sent Ros to London every time it was necessary. And he purposely avoided the media.

First, because during the first year, many speculated as to why 'the beautiful brunette' was no longer by his side. And though it had been strange, it seemed that he was the one to blame. Many tabloids hinted that he must have cheated on her and that she severed ties with him for that reason. He was relieved though that the media kept their promise and did not follow Ana across the pond.

But the real reason why he didn't want to read about him and his failed attempt of a real relationship with the girl he loved, was that he was dreading the day he would see her photographed at the arms of her friend. Jackastian Hyde had quickly risen to stardom whilst being on SNL, and now that Christian was no longer in the way, he could easily see how Jack could snake his way into Ana's love life.

All in all, he buried himself in work and Seattle, avoiding any reminder of Ana. Even the rare time he went back to New York, he didn't stay in the same room as the one he shared with her because of the memories. Even though he kept the hotel room rented all those years, he never set foot in it again.

However, there was one good thing that came out of this situation, Elliott and he had gotten as close as they were before. They would call each other at least once a week and would go out together at least once a month. And over time, Elliott learned not to speak of Ana with his brother. They just bonded again as brothers with Christian being even a bit more present in his nephews' life.

Still, there was one night a couple of months after Ana had sent the letter when Elliott asked him about it as they were playing pool at his place.

_"So, I know you don't like talking about You-Know-Who, but she mentioned on the phone she sent you a letter, and you never said anything about it." _

_Christian focused on the ball he wanted to pocket, clenching his jaw as he admitted, "Yes. I just never opened it." _

_"Well, in that case, you can't whine that she's gone. That's the second time she's reaching out to you, and you shut her down." _

_"It's none of your business, Elliott," He snapped, keeping to himself that if he were ever to see her again, at least he could deny knowing whatever might be in that cursed envelope. He couldn't be blamed for something he didn't know. _

_"You're just a wuss."_

_And even though he agreed with the statement, he kept quiet. _

So now it was her fifth birthday after their relationship had ended and he had found every excuse in the world to not reach out to her. He couldn't be sure if it was cowardice or pride, but he was now in a routine where he did his best not to think of her. And most of the time, it worked since he drowned himself in work.

But today was different. With nostalgia, he looked at the ring he had bought her, before putting it back in his nightstand and getting ready for work. Taylor drove him as usual, whilst he was checking his emails on his phone. Once he got to his floor, Mia mischievously smiled to him, which usually meant that she had had a very good night with her fiancé, and so he told her his usual line,

"Debrief in five, Mia."

She seemed about to say something, but he went straight to his office still scrolling through the emails on his phone. It was only when the door closed behind him and he looked up to go sit at his desk that he saw what Mia had wanted to tell him.

Ana was standing by his desk, putting down the photograph he had of her and looking him straight in the eyes with her beautiful sapphires.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed💚**

**💚 So, this is the first chapter. How many of you hate me because of that long gap? And what do you think of Christian?**

**💚What do you think Ana wants after all this time?**

**💚 I'm always curious about your favourite part, and what you think will happen next, so let me know.**

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	3. Chapter 2: Ruby & Glenfiddich

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

‼️**So just a few things before we get started on that chapter 2**‼️

💚** FIRST OF ALL, my thoughts go to everyone across the world. This is a difficult time for us all, and I hope none of you or your closed ones is affected. I am not a doctor, nor a politician but don't fall into panic and just respect the security measures. Be as clean, if not cleaner than usual. Eat healthy. And look after yourself and your loved ones. Stay indoors as much as possible, until we can do something about this terrible disease that is striking us all. Those are the times to look for one another and not be selfish. I know this sounds corny, but after seeing people buying 15 packs of toilet rolls and fighting for yet another, I just feel that we're missing out on what really matters. This virus doesn't discriminate and doesn't tire. We should fight against it, not against our peers for an extra pack of toilet rolls …**

💚** That being said, let's talk about more cheerful things. First of all the schedule. I know I said I wasn't sure because I wanted to update a couple of other stories as well, but I'm mostly inspired for this one at the moment, so I will try once or twice per week (depending on my betas). But I don't think I will go back to responding individually to reviews (though they still warm my heart).**

💚** Now, that thing you all want to know. I just want you to remember some things. Ana's birthday is on the Fourth of July. And though Christian's bday has never been properly given, it has been said that it was at the end of March ... Also, remember that Elliott saw Ana for Raymond's Day (14th of February, 8 months after her birthday) and she drank wine with him and never mentioned her being pregnant, and he never commented on her having a big belly …**

💚** Also, about Christian. It has been said again and again that he works because he loves it. I know that being the big big boss he could afford not to do it, but he loves the pressure and always pushing himself further. He told Ana in one of the chapters that he likes to push himself out of his comfort zone and that's why he doesn't deal with just one sort of business but many different ones. Because he likes to push his limits.**

‼️**DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW**‼️

**Love, Mina **💚💚💚

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy**💚

**Chapter 2: Ruby & Glenfiddich: (4,0 K)**

As the door closed behind him, Christian stood frozen, drinking in the sight of the woman he loved and hadn't seen in five years. She seemed to look the same but there were a few things that he immediately noticed about her. She was still as classy as she had been before, perched on her heels to make her look taller than she was, but she wasn't wearing any makeup. Even though Christian had noticed in the past that Ana was a rather natural girl when it came to makeup, she still always had mascara on, and some eyeliner which always made her blue eyes pop a bit more. In fact, it was that exact trick of eyeliner that caught his attention in the first place, making him notice everything about the beauty of her sapphires, noticing the difference of shades that gleamed in her eyes.

Her hair seemed longer, though he couldn't be sure since it was braided in a Dutch braid. And though he knew he had no rights to even think about it, he hoped that no other man had had the privilege of seeing her with her hair down. It was something ridiculous, and in fact, he had always expected her to rebuff him when he would point it out, but he liked the idea of seeing a side of her that the rest of the world didn't get to see. Especially when seeing her with her hair free made her so much more radiant than she already was.

But those tiny details weren't what Christian really paid attention to. What he noticed was how drained she looked. Even though it looked like she had gained a few kilos, her cheeks were hollow, and her eyes had dark circles under them; the mirth he had loved so much was no longer dancing in them.

He waited a whole minute for her to say something but when she kept silent, looking at him with her beautiful and insightful blue eyes, he finally broke the silence by clearing his throat and saying, "Shouldn't it be the other way around? I should've been the one surprising you for your birthday."

Ana didn't say anything, standing straight with her eyes still on him, analysing every single one of his moves.

"It's good to see you," he continued, trying to find the right words to not make her flee. Finally, she had come to him, and there was no way he was going to let her escape once again.

"I missed you," he added, feeling that Ana was expecting him to say something, but not the words he was blabbering like an idiot. "How are you doing?"

"You never read the letter I sent you for Christmas, did you?"

_When he came back to his penthouse after spending two days with his parents for Christmas, there was a pile of mail waiting for him on his desk. He opened the letters one by one, all the while promising himself to not go over his parents for Christmas ever again. His mother had been all over his case, trying to get him to move on when she knew he didn't want to. Angela was proof enough._

_Grace had even gone as far as to give him a list of therapists she knew would help and be discreet, especially when dealing with alcohol addiction. She was __insistent __on it not being healthy for him to keep __drinking for business occasions, but Christian knew he couldn't stop drinking when talking business. There were too many times when he had closed a deal with a glass of whiskey or a bottle of wine. It would appear suspicious if he suddenly stopped doing so. _

_It was only when he got to the last letter that he realised that there was something odd about this one. It wasn't a brown one containing important papers, nor a newspaper, but a faint pink with handwritten destination and recipient. At first, he thought it was a trick of his imagination, but looking twice at his address, he recognised Ana's handwriting. _

_He turned the envelop and looked at her name, with her British address. He stared at the pink envelope, not sure of what to do. Ana had his number, so anything she wanted to tell him, she could call or text him. And the last time they talked on the phone, she told him that she wanted nothing from him but closure. _

_His first instincts were to call her. But it was probably too early in London time for him to call her. Several times, he turned the envelope around in his hand, debating__if he should open it or not. Did he really want the closure that this letter was bringing? He knew that his mother would push him to open it and get on with it, as she kept on telling him. _

_After staring at the pink envelope for an indefinite amount of time, he got up and went to the kitchen to fetch himself a bottle of whiskey. His mother had told him to get rid of all the alcohol in his place, but he had dismissed the idea and had never been happier that he hadn't po__u__red it all down the drain. He went back to his office, the pink letter still on his desk and poured himself a glass of Glenfiddich, his hand automatically reaching for the drawer where he kept the ring he had bought for Ana. _

_Glass after glass, he finished the bottle, contemplating how perfect his life could have turned out if things hadn't turned so sour. He would have brought Ana back to the Eiffel Tower and proposed to her in the restaurant looking over Paris. She would have a big rock on her finger, showing to the world that he was the lucky bastard who got her. Instead, he was in his office, looking at a ring that would never be of any use to him, drinking away his sorrows whilst Ana's closure stayed hidden in her pink letter. _

Though he couldn't really recall what happened that night, he knew that he never did open the letter because it was still sealed. The letter was still safe in his desk in his penthouse, in the same drawer where he had kept the ring. And he knew he never called her because the first thing he did when he woke up in the morning was check his call history.

Ana sighed, her face not showing what she was thinking, but from what he had learned about her body language over the two years they had been together, he knew that she had just decided something. He started panicking, wondering if she was going to say she should leave and not talk with him as they should, but instead she told him, stuttering and looking down at her shoes, "I didn't mean to barge in on you like that."

He locked his jaw, finally understanding why she had come. He had seen this demeanour so many times and had always prided himself that it had not been from family members. This was how his employees acted when they wanted money, a raise or some advance in their payment because of some unpredicted event.

He would have given anything he owned to never have Ana ask him for money, but this was how their relationship started. Sure, she never asked for money, and never counted how much he had paid her in front of him, but at the end of the day, she was just like the rest of them. Human.

"How much do you need?"

She snapped her head up, glaring at him and looking as if he had just insulted her. He saw her close her eyes and breathe in deep as if to calm herself before she started explaining. "That's not what I want. It's not why I came here. I'm here because ... well, I don't have a choice. You're my only option..."

Christian worriedly looked at her, the distance between them becoming more and more bothersome to him. Before he could try to get to her, she burst out, "I would need part of your liver."

"Are you ill?" he inquired, finally taking a step to get closer to her. She shook her head, walking away from his desk so there would still be space between them. He stopped in his tracks, repressing the hurt he felt at this obvious way she was trying to keep her distance from him.

"No. I'm fine. I'm okay. I just ... I have a young daughter and she's the one who's ill." She stopped for a second and took another deep breath. Christian realised that it was the first time he had seen her so vulnerable.

"She has liver failure, and she needs a donor. I'm not compatible and neither is Jose. I remember your mother saying that you are AB negative that one Christmas she showed me your baby pictures and…" She paused, visibly distressed by the topic. "She's on the waiting list but the doctors have made it clear that she wouldn't make it through the wait." Another pause and she raised her eyes to look straight at him again. "What I came here to ask you is to save my baby's life."

Though he knew that his first thought should go to Ana's daughter and how helpless Ana must be feeling at this moment, all he could think of was that Ana got her kid after all. This was the reason he took so long to tell her how he felt, why he didn't try as hard as he could have after she stopped their relationship: because he knew that in the end, he couldn't give her what she really wanted in life.

But still, selfishly, he had hoped she would change her mind, especially after she started working so much with Raymond, and she would realize that the two of them were better off without children.

"I know you might think I have no right asking you this, and I know how you feel about kids in general, but I can't wait for that transplant and watch my daughter die. I _refuse_ to do so. And — "

He held his hand up to stop her rambling and used the phone on his desk to buzz Andrea so she would come in the room. His PA almost waltzed in, all smiles and happy, but her smile dropped as soon as she saw the distance between her boss and the brunette.

When he had still been in a relationship with Ana, Andrea had mentioned on several occasions that he was a much easier and nicer boss to work for. That, and the fact that he used to spend so much time in New York with Ana, had given her a chance at a real social life.

Now he was working her around the clock, no longer having Ana over his shoulder scolding him when he contacted his PA when he was abroad with very little regard for the time difference. But the fact was that Andrea was excellent at her job, and he knew he never had to repeat himself with her, or even explain things. She often anticipated his needs without him to having to think about them, and she would always make his schedule flow smoothly. In fact, he dreaded the day she was going to get married and ask for a week off for her honeymoon.

"Call Taylor and tell him we're taking the jet to New York. Call Ros as well to let her know that I'm coming then postpone all my meetings for today. I'll call you in the afternoon to reschedule them."

"What about you video conference with Mr Khan? It's in an hour and a half."

"I'll call him from the plane."

Andrea nodded and left, though she quickly glanced at Ana who hadn't moved, her brows knotted with worry. As soon as they were alone again, she turned her head to Christian, shaking it as she told him, "You don't have to come to New York. I just need you to go to the doctor to do some tests. You might not be compatible."

"You said we have the same blood type."

"There are additional tests to do. This is a _liver_ transplant. The doctors need to be sure yours is … healthy."

She looked him straight in the eyes, condemnation in hers, and he knew straight away that she was aware of the problem he had had with alcohol in the past. But that was years ago and except for that Christmas when he got her letter, he had never touched a bottle again if it wasn't for business.

"I'm not an alcoholic, Anastasia. I haven't had a single drop of alcohol in a month. Don't you want to know if I can help you as soon as possible?" His words came out a bit harsher than he had intended them to, but he hated that she could think so little of him.

She nodded, not arguing with him, and walked towards the door without adding anything else. He followed her, though they stayed silent for the whole elevator ride to the lobby, and as they were waiting for Taylor to pick them up, he finally asked the question that had been burning his lips,

"What about the father?"

Christian kept his eyes on the people passing by, though he saw from the corner of his eye that she slightly shook her head, her lips pressed into a line and explained, "He's not around. You know, some men just don't want to get involved."

He didn't say anything, fully aware that he was one of those men.

When Taylor pulled up in front of them to drive them to his jet, Christian asked about her life in London. "I heard you stayed in London a year longer than necessary."

"Yes. We liked it there, but at one point I was missing my friends, and I wanted my daughter to see where I grew up. It's the only past she'll ever get, and I wanted to make sure she would get it."

Christian looked at her as she was watching out the window, remembering how this was something that seemed so important to Ana, and yet she never tried to find it. He did. He had hired a PI to look through her past and find her biological parents, but it wasn't successful. She was just another orphan found in front of a hospital when she was barely a couple of days old.

He didn't even know if she knew it herself since she never told him anything about it. But in all honesty, he was pretty sure that Ana didn't like her life in Philadelphia. Though the sourest memory she had was of her last family, she had told him on a couple of occasions that her childhood even before the Millers was far from ideal.

For a moment, they stayed in awkward silence, Ana still looking out the window, until she turned her head to look at him, her ocean eyes saying what she was about to say before she even opened her mouth,

"Thank you so much for doing this, Christian. I really appreciate you taking time out of your day to help my child."

"This isn't utterly selfless," he honestly told her. "I still have feelings for you, Ana. And I'm not going to make the same mistake twice. Of course, I don't mind helping someone in need, but I won't lie and pretend that I'm not over the moon that you thought of me. Or that the father is no longer in the picture."

For a microsecond, she scrutinised his soul before giving him a forced, polite smile, and looking back through the window,

"I'm sorry about how things ended, Christian. I really am. I know that I was angry, and I didn't let you speak your truth. And maybe I should have been more forthcoming as well, and not let my past mistakes influence my decisions back then. But things are different now."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

They didn't talk much in the plane either, mostly because Christian first had his videoconference with Mr Khan, and then was busy working, catching up what he was missing for traveling. For the first time since they traveled together, Ana mostly slept through the whole journey, though he was sure it was because she had been so worried about her kid that she hadn't even taken time to rest.

Shortly before landing, Christian closed his laptop and really looked at Ana as she was still sleeping. There was nothing he wanted more at that moment than to go next to her and take her in his arms, but as she said, things had changed. Even if the father was not around, she had a kid now, and she was going to do what Elliott had done for his children: she was going to prioritise her child. And she was certainly not going to get back with a guy who couldn't spare a minute for a kid.

This grand gesture he just did of putting his day on hold was more a subtle statement he made for her rather than something he would regularly do. He put her first because he knew, now, that this was what she would have wanted him to do when she called him four years ago.

For a few minutes, he just appreciated seeing her sleeping in his presence. He noticed an ugly bracelet made of macaroni that her daughter had probably made for her, as well as a necklace that he had never seen on her before. He secretly hoped that there was no romantic attachment to this necklace, fully aware that the absence of the kid's father didn't mean the absence of a lover in Ana's life.

She stirred and slowly woke up as they landed. They didn't speak much on their way to the hospital because he was on the phone with Ros, syncing his schedule to hers and seeing what he could get out of being in New York once he would have done the tests necessary for Ana. She received a couple of phone calls that she diverted into text conversations, clearly not keen on having him listen to what she had to say.

When they arrived at the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, Christian followed Ana, keeping to himself his questions on how she could afford such a place for her daughter. After all, maybe Raymond had great health insurance in his firm. The two of them barely had to wait before a doctor came in, smiling at Ana as he informed them, "Mr Rodriguez informed us that you were coming, so I stayed a bit longer to do the tests as soon as possible. If I can give you that peace of mind, maybe you'll sleep for once."

Ana politely smiled to the doctor, and sat by the door whilst the man in white ushered Christian into his office and asked him as he sat by his desk,

"So, Mr Grey, do you know why you're here?"

"It's just a test for now, right?"

"Yes. Miss Steele mentioned that you might have had some inclination towards some substances in the past, so we will start with CT and MRI scans. Depending on those results, we'll move on to further tests. I can get you scheduled for Thursday. How does it work for you?"

Christian clenched his jaw, once again reminded of how low Ana thought of him. She clearly thought that he was an alcoholic. And though Elliott never said anything, Christian knew it was probably because his brother had told the brunette. It was perhaps how Elliott had managed to get Ana to promise to come visit on his birthday.

He listened to the doctor explain the risks of the operation, and how vital it was for Ana's child whilst he was taking some of his blood. He also told him that once they had the results of the tests, he would have to follow a certain diet to increase their chances, and that he should abstain from any intake of alcohol from now on until he was fully recovered from the surgery.

Half an hour later, Christian was dismissed by Dr Cohen and left the room. Ana was still by the door, and anxiously asked, "Do you want to meet her?"

"_Who_?"

"My daughter."

In all honesty, he didn't really want to do it. He still had a lot to do, and he didn't fancy meeting the person who most likely ruined this chance of Ana and him being anything more than casual. But he knew that if he wanted to win Ana back, he had to do everything the way she wanted. Her kid was now the most important thing in her world, and if he wanted Ana to include him in her world once again, he would have to handle adding the child to his life, somehow.

So he just nodded and followed her as she walked through the wards. As soon as she opened the door, there was a happy scream and Ana rushed to the bed, hugging her daughter. Christian stayed by the door, just nodding at Jose who had gotten up from the bed to give the mother and daughter some space.

The kid looked ill, despite her big smile. Her skin was sickly, yellowish, and she was alarmingly skinny. But other than that, he could see Ana in the girl. They shared the same eyes and hair colour. They were even styled the same way, which he understood was done on purpose when the little girl marvelled that Ana's braid was still intact like hers.

In face shape, they looked nothing alike. But Christian put that on the fact that the little girl still had her baby face, whereas Ana had a very well-defined bone-structure, with high cheekbones.

It took him a moment to understand what was unusual between mother and daughter: they were both speaking Spanish, but what was even more surprising was the fact that the little girl quickly switched to English when Ana introduced him, "This is Christian. He's going to try and help you."

"Ana …" Jose said with a warning tone, but whatever he had wanted to tell her was interrupted by the little girl who was completely oblivious of the tension between the two best friends and happily explained, "Gabby said I will be allowed to go home if I eat all my food tonight."

Ana smiled to her daughter, promising to celebrate with a stuffed toy, and Christian looked at the bed where the kid was, seeing many stuffed teddy bears already and thinking that she didn't necessarily need another one.

He glanced at Jose, who was paying no attention to him, and just as he tried to figure out a polite way to leave them alone the nurse with the name tag Gabriella came in and asked to speak to Ana. He decided to wait for her to come back before telling her he would go.

He stayed by the door, leaning against the doorframe as Jose replaced Ana by the little girl's bed as the child asked in Spanish,

"Tío Jose, podemos ir al cine, mañana?" (Uncle Jose, can we go to the movies tomorrow?)

"No lo creo, Grace. Primero, tienes que ser más fuerte." (I don't think so, Grace. First, you have to be stronger.")

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, finally, we get the second chapter. Hope you'll like it, let me know.**

💚**So yes, Ana had her kid, but as I said, she did not show any signs of being pregnant when she saw Elliott eight months after her birthday.**

💚**What do you think Ana in this chapter? and Christian?**

💚**What do you think of Ana's assumptions towards Christian's alcoholism?**

💚** I'm always curious about your favourite part, and what you think will happen next, so let me know.**

💚** Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	4. Chapter 3: Pink Agate & Johnnie Walker

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

‼️**So just a few things before we get started on that chapter 2**‼️

💚** FIRST OF ALL, my thoughts go to everyone across the world. This is a difficult time for us all, and I hope none of you or your closed ones is affected. I am not a doctor, nor a politician but don't fall into panic and just respect the security measures. Be as clean, if not cleaner than usual. Eat healthy food. And look after yourself and your loved ones. Stay indoors as much as possible, until we can do something about this terrible disease that is striking us all. Those are the times to look for one another and not be selfish. I know this sounds corny, but after seeing people buying 15 packs of toilet rolls and fighting for yet another, I just feel that we're missing out on what really matters. This virus doesn't discriminate and doesn't tire. We should fight against it, not against our peers for an extra pack of toilet rolls …**

💚** So, I have a question, why do so many people think Ana would have a child with Elliott? I mean, it doesn't fit either character to do so.**

💚** Now, about Christian. I know you all think he is stupid and all, but he did admit to himself that he took the coward way for not opening the letter. He wanted to deny whatever was said in it, in case he ever saw Ana again.**

**💚And I've noticed people are divided. They either hate Ana or Christian, so I'm curious about your feelings after this chapter. Don't forget to let me know. **

💚** Although the last story was about falling in love, this one is about growth. This sequel was planned since the prologue of the previous story, and there are a lot of foreshadowing elements and hints hidden in the other story. They will make sense after this story is finished. **

‼️**DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW**‼️

**Love, Mina **💚💚💚

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy**💚

**Chapter 3: Pink Agate & Johnnie Walker (5,3K)**

_"You want a family," Christian observed, hating the way it made him feel. _

_This was the exact reason why he hadn't professed his feelings to Ana yet. He knew that he loved her, and he would be more than happy to get rid of the contract so they could try at a real relationship. But more than once, she had __made __those little remarks about kids that made him re-evaluate his intentions. _

_Especially when it came to his nephews. Ana was so invested in his nephews, and at first, he thought it was just because of their situation, that Ana felt the need to step up so they would have a mother figure in their lives. But when he had seen her at his place the day before, cuddling Parker, Taylor's son, he understood that getting a family was something that had been deeply ingrained in her. _

_She had been holding the baby as if he was the most precious thing on the planet. She hadn't noticed him there so Christian had been able to observe her without disturbance and see that glimpse in her eyes. The 'baby fever' look made it clear that no real relationship could bloom between them. He saw the longing in her eyes, the determination to have a child: it was the same kind of determination he had had when he started his company, the same kind of determination that always pushed him to go forward and test his limits. _

_It was proof that he would never be able to make her happy. He could shower her with all the gifts her heart desired, but what she wanted went beyond material possessions, and he couldn't commit to that. _

_And the smile she gave him as he was stating this truth on their way to the airport confirmed his thoughts. He swallowed his frustration, as things were not going according to plan. He had been supposed to come clean, or at least mention the idea of keeping their relationship the same, without the contract. _

_The previous night, after many drinks with Elliott, who was great at reading between the lines, Christian had rambled enough to make it clear to his brother how he felt about Ana, how the feelings were growing stronger by the day and how much the woman meant to him. After the vague confession, Elliott pressed him to just tell her. But now, what was the point of telling her of his feelings, when he knew he couldn't give her all she wanted. He would need to change her goals first._

_So, he tried to understand about her desire to have children, "Is it … because … you didn't have a family growing up?"_

_He looked at her, paying close attention to what her body was saying, rather than her words, but then the meaning of her explanation hit him. _

_"Partially. But I also want what Gail just had. I want to feel my child grow inside me. I want to feel the good and the bad of a pregnancy. I want to do that one thing that never changed through the millennia. I want to see my family grow, with the ups and downs. I want …" She stopped, looking down at her hands as she cleared her throat and added, "I shouldn't bother you with that."_

_He kept his eyes on her, realising how many thoughts and feelings she had put into that explanation. She wanted the full experience, she didn't just want a family, she wanted to be a mother, a parent. And yet, there was a piece missing in her perfect picture. _

_"No husband though? Women usually dream of a big wedding before the baby mania." _

_She frowned slightly, her eyes lost in the distance, as the airport got closer and closer, and their time together was dwindling down. _

_"It would be for the best if my kids had a father in their lives. But I can't control the actions of other people, only my own. I just know that it's better being alone than unwanted. But if the father does stick around, I'll give my first son and my first daughter the name of his own parents." _

_"What if they have silly names?" _

_"It's not a matter of silly. It's so my children can belong. It's a heavy burden …not to belong …" _

Christian snapped back into the present moment, paying more attention to the little girl as he realised what his brain had left unnoticed ever since learning that Ana had had a child. Technically speaking, the girl couldn't be his, right? Ana and he had only had one night together, and given how they parted, he was sure that even though he didn't have any protection at the time, Ana had taken the necessary precautions afterwards.

And Elliott had met with her in February, meaning eight months after her birthday. He would have mentioned something if Ana had seemed pregnant. They even drank together, so it couldn't even be a premature baby, because she would still have been breastfeeding at that time.

And this wasn't like Ana, to keep a child from him. Firstly, he could give the kid stability and financial security and secondly, Ana grew up without parents, she wouldn't want the same for her kid if there was a chance at an alternative. But then again, she had desperately tried to _talk_ to him before he left for Macau. She had said herself that she hadn't necessarily needed to see him, just speak with him. And there was also the cursed letter he had never opened.

He was barely paying attention to the conversation between Jose and the little girl, trying to find solid proof that this was all just an awful nightmare. He couldn't deal with a kid, especially not now when he was in the middle of a deal that could result in an enormous financial loss for him if things went badly.

But the more he looked at the small brunette, the more he understood why she looked so little like Ana. In fact, when looking closely, he could see more and more of himself in the kid, he could almost see a brunette feminine version of his baby pictures. His eyes travelled away from her yellow-toned face, all the way to the foot of the bed where her chart hung. Looking at the chart, he saw the name printed on a sheet and that was the proverbial last nail in the coffin.

**Grace Marianne Steele**

He barely heard what Jose was saying about Ana's birthday and their plans regarding that. All he could think about was that he was fucked. Even though she didn't have his last name, he could feel it in his bones that little Grace was his kid. Ana would have never named her after his mother if he wasn't involved.

Without saying a word, he retreated and left the hospital, going to his office in New York where he found Ros with whom he had work to do. Once in his office, he asked her for ten minutes and called his lawyer dealing with internal affairs, to know what to do with this realisation.

"Thomas, we have a situation."

"What happened?"

"I … There is apparently … a child … that just popped up in my life."

There was a small silence during which Christian put his phone down, using his Bluetooth AirPods and pacing through the office in the hope that Thomas would come up with a perfect solution.

"I thought you didn't have sex with Angela."

"I didn't! It's Ana," Christian snapped through his gritted teeth, not really eager to be reminded of Angela, especially at this moment in time.

Thomas didn't say anything, but when he spoke again, Christian knew that he was proposing his question very carefully. "Are you sure … that the child is yours?"

"Thomas …" Christian replied with a warning tone.

"I mean no disrespect to the girl, Mr Grey but we both know you haven't heard from her in years. And the two of you had a relationship that revolved around money. It wouldn't be the first time that a woman was to pretend that a child was someone else's, just for financial gain.

If the child supposedly is yours, school will start for her in a month's time, and good schools are expensive. And even if she's working with Wilks now, I doubt she makes enough as a single mother to pay for a good school. I don't want you to become a paycheck for her. My advice is to ask for a paternity test."

"Are you _insane_?" Christian mused, refusing to doubt Ana's words.

Thinking about it, she still hadn't certified in any way that Grace was his. But thinking back to how she reacted when he saw her in his office, he understood that the letter she sent on Christmas was a statement letting him know of the life he had created inside of her. She had been surprised that he didn't ask about their child upon seeing her.

"I'm pragmatic, Mr Grey. She's a lawyer, she'll understand. If the child is indeed yours, the best way to deal with the situation is to write her a check covering the past four years of the child's life and proposing a contract in which you will agree to pay monthly child support."

"Ana would never sign another contract with me."

"She's a lawyer. She will. Because she knows the other solution is for you to take her to court and ask for partial or total custody. She's a mother, she won't want to go down this road."

"I don't want custody of the kid. Total or partial, she can keep her."

Thomas sighed on the other end of the phone, and Christian understood before he explained what he had meant. "It's not what you want that matters here, it's what she doesn't want. She will agree to your terms just to make sure she keeps her kid."

Christian hung up and kept to himself that he was certainly not going to ask Ana for a paternity test. It seemed ludicrous, no matter how reasonable and logical he knew it was.

He stayed with Ros for the most part of the evening, settling a few things as he informed her that he would swap with her and stay in New York for the upcoming month. He didn't go into any details, just telling her that he had an upcoming operation that had to take place in New York, and though she was obviously curious, she didn't ask anything about it. Though she still made a small jab at him, claiming that he was human after all, like the rest of them.

When she left to go back to her wife, Christian stayed for another hour, arranging his schedule with Andrea over the phone. He was planning on going back to Seattle to pack a small suitcase for the upcoming month, but he felt that he should let Ana know before flying back to his city. So, he went back to the hospital, still unsure of how he was feeling about this whole situation.

He found Ana sitting by her daughter's bedside, looking at the sick child, her face drained and worried. For a moment, he didn't say anything, looking at the two brunettes, wondering what was wrong with him. Even though he knew that the kid was his, he felt nothing for the little girl. She was just a kid; he didn't feel like she was his daughter. His mother would probably say he was just showing an obvious lack of empathy, but he didn't want to think about that right now.

He cleared his throat and said what had been bugging him since he found out about little Grace: "You should have told me."

Ana smiled a disabused smile before getting up, kissing her daughter's forehead and gathering a few things. She walked out of the room, and closed the door, letting him know, "I honestly thought you had read the letter and just didn't want anything to do with her."

"Come on, Elliott must have told you I didn't read that damn letter! And by the way, what stupid excuse did you conjure for Elliott to keep that to himself? He's terrible at keeping secrets!"

"I haven't seen Elliott since that Raymond's Day before your birthday. He just doesn't know. I didn't think it was appropriate to let your family know before you, and when I sent that letter and you didn't respond, I didn't want your family to put pressure on you. It was your choice."

"Clearly it wasn't! I didn't read the letter. Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant? Why didn't you tell me who she was when you realised I didn't know this morning?"

"For the same reason, it took me nine months to let you know in the first place. For the same reason, I am still questioning my decision at this very moment. Because you already have a first, second and third love. Because you refused to even give me five minutes of your time when all I wanted to do is tell you about our child. Because as soon as you found out about your daughter, you bailed on her and went to work. You didn't even say _one word_ to her."

She took a breath and then said in an even tone, "I am sorry if you feel bad. I am sorry that you're angry at me. I am sorry that you are confused. But in the end, I don't care. In the end, I too have my first, second and third priority. And it's my baby. I won't apologise for putting her first. I won't apologise for protecting her from the heartbreak you will ultimately bring her."

"I am not that cold. Don't make me sound like a monster."

Finally, she looked up, her blue eyes searching his soul, and she nodded conceding that she was wrong.

"Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm just overprotective of my child and too judgmental when it comes to you. I do have one question though. You just learned that you have a child. This is a big thing, whether you're happy about it or not. Who did you call first? Was is your mother, to let her know she has a granddaughter sharing her name? Your father, to ask his advice on fatherhood? Maybe your brother to let him know you're freaking out?"

She expectantly waited for him to answer, but he couldn't say a word, because he knew that she was very well aware of what had been his first move. In fact, he hadn't even thought of contacting his family yet. But she had to understand that he had priorities.

"I had to know what it meant for my company. I'm in the middle of a very important transaction, and —"

Christian stopped, seeing her smile, that smile that he was starting to hate as it seemed way too condescending for his liking.

"I know, Christian. Nothing will ever come before your company. Not even your own daughter. I thought for a second this morning when you put everything on hold ... but it was just wishful thinking. And I understand better than ever. You protected your company; you called the one person who was going to make sure that your baby would not be affected by mine. But now, you should understand that I'm doing the same with my own baby. Only the one I am protecting her from is you."

She presented him with a hairbrush, and said, "You can give the brush to your lawyer for him to do whatever tests he wants. My word means nothing in a court of law. And I will sign whatever document he wants me to sign if I remain Grace's sole guardian and her custody is not disputed."

"I'm not a monster, Ana," he repeated, refusing to take the brush. He hated how she was making him feel like a villain who was going to destroy a little girl's happiness. "I can … be in her life."

"Can you, though? You didn't even say hi! Can you promise to be here for her when she might need you? Can you promise that she will never feel like a second thought? Can you promise not to make her feel like she doesn't matter?"

He rolled his eyes, glancing at the closed door as he was doing his best to keep his temper in check in contrast to Ana's very calm and poised demeanour.

"Have I ever done that to you?"

She looked at him, and though she didn't say a word, he hated the answer he could read in her eyes. She quickly looked away, clearing her throat as she told him, "Anyway, I don't think it is wise to tell her anything before the surgery. She is very weak, and I don't want to upset her right now."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

When Christian got back to Seattle the next day, he hadn't gotten any good ideas about what he should do. Ana had given him the perfect out, but that meant that he would never get the chance to try and win her back. She was very clear as to where her priorities lay, and they were certainly not with him. In fact, she saw him as some sort of cold-hearted bastard that was going to either break her daughter's heart or deeply disappoint her.

And in a way, he couldn't blame her. This was the reason he had never wanted children, to begin with. He didn't have time for them. He barely had time for Ana when they were in a relationship, and that worked only because she had known how to meld her schedule to his.

He still had many questions, but he figured it would be best if he waited a few days before asking them and just read the damn letter she had sent. Ana had seemed exhausted, and though it felt nothing like it, it was a fact that the fourth had been her birthday. Reading the letter would just give him all the facts he needed, either for the next argument or just for information in general; after all, he knew nothing of how the child had come to be except for the first step.

His lawyer had called him a couple of times, probably to ask for some DNA samples from the kid, but Christian was going to be firm on this decision. He didn't need to put Ana's word to the test. She could fault him for many things, but it would never be of a lack of trust.

At first light, he went by his office to retrieve some important documents he could work on in New York. Andrea had everything ready for him, and he was very tempted to tell her to pack and come to New York with him. He hated working with the time difference, even if it was just three hours.

But it was just for a month, six weeks at most. He would manage.

As he was putting the documents in his briefcase, Andrea buzzed his intercom and let him know, "Raymond Wilks is on the line concerning the Khan deal."

Christian took the call, his anger bursting as soon as he put the phone to his ear, "You lawyer bastard! Couldn't you have told me?!"

"What are you on about?"

"Are you going to pretend that you didn't know your little protégé has a kid?"

"I don't see how this could possibly concern you," Raymond calmly said, before falling silent for a moment and inquiring, "Unless she is yours?"

Christian didn't say a word, clenching his jaw and closing his eyes as he realised that Ana had kept the secret exclusively to herself. And though he knew it wasn't like her, he still felt relieved because it meant she was not going to go to the first tabloid to sell his secrets for millions. After all, surgeries were expensive.

He made a mental note to ask Andrea to find the best hospital in New York so Grace could be transferred there, and for her to make sure that all costs would be on his account.

"I had no idea, Christian. I always thought that Grace was Andrew's. I mean, Ana said she had just always liked the name, and she never spoke of her being pregnant. I never even saw her pregnant before she left for London. I assumed she had had the kid in England. She left in such a hurry, and …" He stopped rambling, as if realising something, and said, "I'm sorry, Christian."

"For what?"

"It must not be easy discovering you have a child when you might not have the chance to see her grow old."

Christian frowned, only realising now how bad the situation with Grace was. He didn't really ask Ana about it, nor inquire anything from the doctor, and just assumed that everything would go well since he was there to save the day. But Ana did say that she wanted his involvement in a life or death situation, and now Raymond seemed to think that the little girl's days were numbered.

"I have an appointment to give her part of my liver. All should be well soon."

He didn't really linger on the topic, fully aware that Carla and Raymond lost a son in a car accident when their kid was not even ten. He might not know yet how it felt to be a parent, but he knew that burying one's child was not in the natural order of things.

Raymond cleared his throat, and when he spoke again his voice was a tad too cheery to be natural, "If you're coming back to New York, we'll talk about Khan when you're here. I'm sure all will go well for Grace. She's a brilliant kid, and she's stronger than she looks right now."

Christian hung up, and looked at the skyline behind his desk, his thoughts wandering down so many different paths. First, there was this Andrew that Raymond had casually mentioned and Christian knew nothing about. He just knew that it was a bad sign for a man to be so close to Ana that Raymond might have thought he was Grace's father.

And there was the issue of Grace. Now that he was sitting down, with Raymond's words echoing in his brain, he was trying to feel what a father was supposed to feel in that moment. But he didn't feel like her father, he barely felt like an uncle. He was basically a stranger to the little girl, and though this loophole of information had been created by Ana, he wasn't eager to do anything to change the situation.

The only reason he wanted to be in the little girl's life was because it would keep him away from any scandals. _And_, most importantly, it was the only way to get Ana back in his life.

With a heavy sigh, he got up and left the building, not saying a word to Taylor on their way to his penthouse. Once there, he went straight to his office and looked for the pink envelope. He ripped it open, and after reading it once, twice, even thrice, he found himself in his kitchen, pouring himself glass after glass of Johnnie Walker, cursing his cowardice.

_Dear Christian, _

_First of all, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas. I truly hope that you will take some time off from work to spend this festive time surrounded by your family and loved ones. _

_I am not going to lie and pretend that this Christmas isn't something odd for me. Not because I am in another country, but because in that period where you are supposed to be with your loved ones, many truths and realisations are coming to me. This is going to be the second Christmas that I will spend without you, and it is much harder than I would have thought. _

_I guess that first, I should apologise about how I ended things last year. I was… to put it shortly… a raging lunatic. To be fair, I realise now that I was not fully myself. But I was feeling wounded in a place I thought had healed a long time ago. It was more than my ego; it was my heart. After some time had passed, I realised that the way you acted was just typical Christian behaviour. And, no matter how much of it was true the fact is it still hurt like hell. It hurt to realise that even though you liked to pretend otherwise, I was just another business deal to you. _

_I was never seen as separate from the contract. You might have perceived it differently, but that's not how you made me feel. If you had taken me as a person, if you had really known me, you would have never done what you did. Because you would have known how it would make me feel. _

_I am not going to pretend that I was perfect, I was very much broken, to be honest, and you met me when I was trying to fix myself. And this last act from you just shattered what I had managed to put together, all the while robbing me of my dignity. _

_But here I am rambling about things we can't change when this is not why I wrote to you. As said earlier, I understand now that this is who you are and that the image I had of you was just distorted by the feelings that developed towards you over the two years we spent together. And this is the image I will keep in mind and cherish, no matter what you do after reading this letter. _

_But I want to make this clear Christian, I would have said no. I might have never said, or even shown it, but I am a romantic at heart, and a proposal over the phone is something I would certainly not accept. A proposal shouldn't be seen as a contract, but as a promise from one heart to another._

_Now, you must be wondering why this letter is coming now, out of nowhere, eighteen months after we __ceased__ all contact and … I have no easy way to explain what you will read next. So please take your time to read the next words. _

_I guess the easiest way to start is to explain why I didn't come to your birthday. I did not chicken out. I just _**_could not_**_ come. I was just stuck at the hospital because of an unforeseeable turn of events, giving birth to our daughter. _

_Yes, you read this correctly. We have a daughter named Grace (after your mother) Marianne (after Mary and Ann). She looks a bit like you as a baby, and I have attached some pictures of her to this letter for you to see her. _

_I know this seems like it comes out of nowhere, and believe me, I was the one who got the biggest surprise. I had no idea that I was pregnant. I woke up in the middle of the night before your birthday with cramps so terrible that I had to go to the hospital where I learned that I was apparently in labour. _

_The doctors explained afterwards that I had what they call a __cryptic __pregnancy. Apparently, because I took the morning after pill following our night together, my brain convinced my body that I couldn't possibly be pregnant. And therefore, my body complied to this command. _

_For nine months, I had no idea that I was carrying a new life inside of me, I kept on living as if nothing had changed because I had no sign of a baby growing inside of me. I was robbed of everything that makes a mother anxious to meet her baby because I put all my faith in modern medicine. _

_I never got to see my stomach grow, feel my daughter kick from the inside of my womb, anticipate her arrival for nine months, prepare for her arrival like any proper mother would. She arrived out of nowhere, and in a second, I changed from the old me to a mother. _

_And yet, I regret nothing. I can't even imagine what life would be without her. She is very alert, even though she is just nine months old, but that might be just the new Mom in me seeing my baby as the eighth wonder of the world. _

_I have been speaking to her mostly in Spanish, so she can learn two languages from the start. Just a few months ago, I had my first Mama, and I can't describe how it made me feel. It was probably the happiest moment of my life. _

_Anyway, all of this to say that our daughter is amazing. In all honesty, I tried to tell you when you left for Macau, but you didn't even want to talk over the phone. And it scared me. Not for me, but for Grace. I have been a neglected child and I never want my daughter to feel this way. _

_Yes, I know how you feel about children. And I know how much your company means to you. I understand with all my heart. But I also know that a child deserves unconditional love. And after being rebuffed for just trying to talk to you, I felt that you would never be able to give that to our daughter. _

_So, I decided to keep her to myself. _

_But now that Christmas is approaching, I am starting to wonder if maybe it was my wounded ego talking, my inner scarred child projecting her fears and abandonment on Grace. Now that Christmas is approaching, I realise I don't want Grace to grow up without a father, I don't want her to grow up as I did. _

_I'm not asking for your money; I'm not even asking you to step up as her Dad. Just as her father; this male figure she will learn to rely on. I want my baby to have what I didn't have. And I do realize that this is asking a lot from you. _

_So, I will understand if you decide to turn your back on us, because of the inconvenience we now are. If you do so, all I ask is for you to talk to her when she will be old enough to ask questions and understand the answers. If you decide to cross us off from your life, I won't bother you ever again, and I will raise our daughter alone, to the best of my abilities._

_But there is a small part of me sincerely hoping that it won't come to that. That you won't make me have to dodge the awkward questions alone when the time comes. That you will show up on our doorstep in a couple of days with a teddy bear for our daughter. But as I said earlier, I am a romantic, and I know you're not. _

_Pragmatically thinking, this is a terrible thing happening to you, and you might not even believe me when I say that Grace is yours. I am aware I might never hear from you again, and if this is the case, I understand. It might be that you already forgot about us and won't put two thoughts into this letter. _

_If I don't hear from you, I will know where you stand, and all I can ask of you is to not contact me if you don't want anything to do with us. Once again, I will understand. I don't think my heart would be able to bear hearing you say you don't want anything to do with us. As Ana, or as a mother, I'd rather a radio silence. But if it happens that you do want to be in our lives, my number is on the back of this letter, and my address on the envelope._

_In any case, I won't speak ill of you to our daughter, and I wish you well in all your future endeavours. I truly hope that you will find the happiness and fulfilment that you keep on chasing through work. _

_With Love, _

_Ana & Grace _

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, yes, Grace is Christian's daughter. Hihi, As I said, it was hinted in the previous story when Ana and Christian had this conversation at the beginning of this chapter. And see, no cliffhanger, I can be nice. Now, I can't promise the same thing for the next chapter. **

💚**What do you think Christian now? And how do you feel about Ana's accusations as to who he called first? And how do you feel about his reaction to the letter?**

💚** If you read carefully, the letter says more than information about Grace. Don't fear, this story will have a different outcome to the previous one.**

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	5. Chapter 4: Smokey Quartz & Smokey Monkey

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

‼️**ABOUT THE REVIEWS**‼️

**I do feel bad about not answering, especially when so many of you pinpoint the right things, so I will do it here. **

**1\. Yes, Christian is a selfish idiot who drank alcohol when he is supposed to give part of his liver to his dying child. **

**2\. Yes, Ana could have tried harder, but as she explained in the letter, she protected her child. If you remember the conversation, Ana was really insistent on talking to Christian, and he mentioned his work three times in barely five minutes. She didn't want her kid to be put as a second thought because she grew up as a second thought to many people. Plus, we don't know what was her state of mind at the time.**

**3\. Yes, Christian and Grace share a birthday. So she was conceived on Ana's birthday and born on Christian's … **

**4\. Yes, Ana knows Christian better than he thinks. Some people missed what others pointed out, his first instincts were to call his lawyer, not his family, and she knew it. **

**5\. Yes, Christian still doesn't take full responsibility of how he handled things and puts it all on Ana and the way she left.**

**6\. Yes, cryptic pregnancy is a real thing, and it touches more women than we think. It is not as rare as one would think, it is just well hidden. And it is just the perfect proof that the human brain is magnificent! I mean, it convinces your WHOLE BODY that you're not pregnant! **

**7\. No, drinking during the pregnancy is not the reason Grace is sick. All doctors across the globe agree that a glass of wine once in a while whilst pregnant won't hurt the pregnancy or the child. It is not recommended, but it doesn't harm anyone. It's the abuse or the long term that is harmful. Just like one puff on a cigarette won't have any impact on your lifespan, but daily smoking, or smoking a whole pack in one hour will …**

**8\. AND yes, the title is no longer about Ana, but about Grace. Just the one person noticed that, so congrats to her!**

‼️**DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW**‼️

**Love, Mina **💚💚💚

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy**💚

**Chapter 4: Smokey Quartz & Smokey Monkey Shoulder (7,7K)**

"_With love, Ana and Grace._"

With anger, he crumpled the piece of paper, not aware of his surroundings anymore. What he wouldn't give to go back to that night and open the letter then: things could have been different. He would have called Ana, and they would have talked. She could have _told_ him her words of love, instead of writing them and hiding them between the lines.

She could deny it all if she wanted but Christian knew that this letter was more than just letting him know about her daughter, it was a love letter from Ana. A sad one in which she had resigned herself to say goodbye to him, without giving him the chance to even get back to her first.

_With love_

Such simple words, and yet, they hit him hard. Ana had never told him that she loved him. In fact, she always made sure to never use the word love in his presence. And every time he had tried to bring a conversation toward a possibility of _them_, she had thrown the contract back in his face. And yet, now she sent him words of love. Now, she was writing to him that she would keep him in her heart, no matter what.

If only things were simpler. If only things would turn out as he wanted them to.

He had no idea what to do. Of course, he knew what Ana wanted from him, but did he really want to do it? Stepping up as Grace's father meant sacrificing a lot and changing a lot of things about his life. It wasn't even a question of was he ready, but more was he willing? It was one thing to help a little girl live, it was another having to be a father to his own child.

He poured himself another glass of whiskey, but when he brought the brown liquid to his lips, he finally realised his mistake and threw it away, putting all his frustration in the motion. He closed his eyes, clenching his jaw and his fists as the gravity of his actions hit him. He was not fit to be a father. He was supposed to help this little girl and had just drunk three glasses of whiskey that would inevitably delay her operation.

"Mr Grey?" Taylor's voice asked, forcing him to open his eyes and face the consequences.

The shattered glass was spread on the floor, each piece mocking him as it reminded him of what he had just done, so he got up, letting Taylor know, "Tell Sawyer he's coming to New York with me for a month or so. We're leaving in the morning."

He left the kitchen, the letter still in his hand as he reflected on whether he should call Ana or not. After all, the letter was clear and there was nothing for them to discuss since his lawyer hadn't sent the papers that would give her full custody of the child.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

When he got back to New York, he avoided Ana, only texting to let her know he would see her for the hospital appointment. He didn't want to see the disappointment or condemnation in her eyes when she'd know that he had been drinking, and he was foolishly hoping that he would be able to eradicate all traces of alcohol from his body before the tests on Thursday.

He had asked Andrea to find him a detox diet that would purify his body as much as possible, and as usual, she did not disappoint. In fact, he knew that he was going to have to make her sign a new NDA if he was going to stay in Grace's life as he had told Ana. Andrea was most likely going to be the one who found gifts for the kid, and he needed to make sure that this unforeseen mistake would not be sold to the media by Andrea.

In all fairness, he deeply appreciated how Ana had written the letter and never explained in clear words what had happened between them. If the letter had fallen into unwanted hands, all the person could do was out the child, and at the time, he would have been able to deny it all.

This was an issue he had no idea how to deal with. Thomas had advised him not to contact his PR before he had the results of the paternity test. Roger, his PR, would have to come up with a statement that would protect the company, him and the girls.

On Thursday, he met Ana at the hospital, but to his surprise she was alone. The little girl was nowhere to be seen.

"Karl took the afternoon off to stay with Grace. I didn't want to give her false hopes."

"Oh, so Karl and Jose are still together?" He casually asked, doing his best to hide the lump in his throat. _How would she react if the tests did show that he had had a few drinks_?

"They got married last year. Grace was the flower girl; she was so cute. I can give you pictures if you want."

He was saved from answering by Dr Cohen who invited them into his office to announce the results of Christian's blood tests. As Ana had told him, Grace shared his blood type, which made Ana smile with relief. Christian observed her as the doctor explained what the next tests consisted off, and he realised that this little thing, that he was indeed a compatible donor, had made her genuinely smile for the first time since she came back into his life.

Dr Cohen seemed confident that surgery could occur rather fast after they get the results if they are conclusive, and so Christian decided to come clean, though he couldn't look at the doctor or Ana as he confessed, "I drank a few glasses of whiskey a few days ago. Could that affect the tests?"

Ana snapped her head at him, her face losing all colour as she said with a trembling voice, "You said that you hadn't drunk in over a month."

"I hadn't. A few days back… I just… I forgot."

She promptly turned her head, showing him the back of her head, but he still saw what she had wanted to keep from him. This was the first time since he had known Ana, that he saw tears in her eyes, and he hated being the cause of her sadness. It was the first time he had ever seen her so vulnerable. No matter what had happened between them, what had happened in her terrible past, he had never seen her shed a single tear. Even when they had parted and she had accused him of treating her like a prostitute, when she told him that he had made her feel worse than _Henry_, even then she hadn't shed a single tear.

And now, when he was supposed to be fixing everything in her life by giving her kid a part of his liver, _now_ he had made her cry. He reached out but stopped himself when the doctor discreetly slid the tissue box in Ana's direction. She swiftly took a tissue and wiped her face, asking with an incredibly steady voice for the doctor to continue explaining.

Though he listened to what the medical professional was saying, half of Christian's brain was on Ana who had shifted away from him slightly. She was attentively taking in the doctor's words, and when the man declared that he would still perform the tests, to see if Christian's liver was damaged or not, she got up and shook the doctor's hand, saying she would be waiting for his call.

Then she left, without sparing a glance at Christian, who felt extremely judged by the doctor. He reached into his briefcase and took out an NDA as he explained, "I would like you and your staff to sign this."

"Mr Grey — "

"My lawyer insists," Christian cut him off, not interested in hearing how medical confidentiality forced him to silence. He knew all too well that with doctors and nurses the secrets slipped out too often to feel safe.

The doctor shook his head, but took the paper, and so Christian asked, "The few drinks won't really affect the girl, right? It wasn't much, and the whiskey wasn't that strong."

"What do you know of Grace Steele's situation?"

"She's sick and in need of a donor."

"She's _urgently_ in need of a donor. You'd think that since livers are the only organs to regenerate, people would be keen to donate part of theirs, but they're not. Grace has a quite uncommon form of acute liver failure, and I've told Miss Steele that she shouldn't get her hopes up. She is on the urgent patient list, but that takes months. Grace doesn't have months.

Now, I doubt the amount of alcohol you drank will damage your liver if it is already healthy, but it will postpone the operation. Meaning that in the following month, Miss Steele will have to wonder every night if this might be the last time, she is kissing her daughter goodnight."

"You're being very judgmental for a doctor," Christian pointed out, not liking the fact that he was feeling that he was being scolded like a child.

Doctor Cohen looked at Christian, his brows slightly furrowed, as if Christian was missing a crucial point, which made Christian wonder if Ana might know the doctor outside the walls of this hospital.

"How long has she been sick?"

"She had been feeling tired for a few months now, but we've only known she is really sick for a month. And we've only known of how critical her situation is for a week."

Christian nodded, his heart going to Ana who must have not slept well for weeks. But a part of him still took note that as soon as she knew that her daughter was sick, she reached out to him. She might resent him, and be angry at him, but she put her child first.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

During the following week, Christian stayed isolated between work and his hotel room. He went back to Esclava, staying at the penthouse, despite how much he hated being there without Ana. In fact, he stayed as much as he could at his office, only going back to the hotel to sleep, and more than once, he found himself avoiding the bed he had once shared with her and slept on the sofa instead.

The Sunday that followed the doctor appointment, Elena came to Christian's room early in the morning with a photo album that Ana had apparently brought for him, accompanied by her daughter. They had waited for half an hour before Ana left, not wanting to exhaust the little girl too much.

And ever since that night, Christian had the same dilemma when he went to bed at night. Should he open the photo album and let the little girl into his life, or should he stay true to his codex and walk out of her life after the operation? After all, Ana had said that she didn't want to tell little Grace of her parentage yet, and she was too young to make the connection on her own.

Every night, he would look at the album but never open it, feeling a sense of self-loathing establish itself in his heart a bit more every time. It was the letter all over again. He feared what might happen thus he was going his usual way of cowardice. And for the first time in his life, his indecisiveness was seeping into his work.

He had always been extremely good at separating work and personal life, even when he was with Ana. He had always managed to relegate his thoughts of Ana so he could focus on work. But he felt that those past two weeks since he discovered that he and Ana had a kid had been anything but productive.

He was so grateful for Ros who was stepping up when he was messing up, though he was sure it was because she thought he was sick. He hadn't told her anything about his recent discovery, and he wasn't planning on doing so. But he had to give her a reason as to why he wanted to swap when he had been the one to insist on her going to New York after the separation.

He had told her that he had an operation coming and it had to happen in New York, so he wanted to spend his pre- and post-op time in the Big Apple. He was pretty sure that Andrea had put two and two together. After all, he had asked her to contact the hospital and pay Grace Steele's current and upcoming bills. And before that, he had asked her to find the best children's hospital in New York.

Since he had been prepared to argue with Ana about the transfer to another hospital that would be more competent, it took him by surprise to know that Ana had already gone for that option. Andrea also slipped a note in her email, stating that the doctor treating little Grace was the grandson-in-law of the late Ann. Which explained why he had been so prompt to judge Christian. He was trying to stay professional, calling Ana by her last name, but at the end of the day, he still knew and cared for Grace more than for a usual patient.

It was with that conflict in heart that Christian decided to go and visit Ana on Saturday afternoon. He stopped by Cartier first, so he could buy her a necklace since he hadn't gotten her anything for her birthday. He thought of calling her first, but he didn't want to give her the opportunity of finding an excuse to avoid him.

He wasn't sure of what he was going to say, or what he wanted to say for that matter. He just wanted to see her, because, in the past, she had always managed to calm his inner turmoil by her mere presence.

She wasn't living in the same place where he went to see her after their separation. In fact, it was a much more reassuring place, though it wasn't as secure as he would've liked. There was still no doorman and the only security that she had was an intercom without any camera for her to check who she was buzzing into her building.

But she didn't fuss, and let him in, though he put that on the fact that she was the one who sent him a letter with her address on it the day he learned about the kid. He was apprehensive about seeing little Grace again and having to talk to her this time, but when Ana opened the door, the girl was nowhere in sight.

"Grace is napping. She's always so tired and … I want her to rest as much as possible," Ana explained as she directed Christian to the kitchen.

He noticed the way her eyes showed a slight hesitation, even though her voice stayed strong. They both sat, Christian taking the tea Ana was offering, not because he wanted to drink it but to occupy his hands. Honestly, at this moment, he would have loved nothing more than a drink with a bit more stong to calm his nerves.

"So …" He cleared his throat. "How do you deal with work?"

"Raymond mostly lets me work from home. On the occasions I must meet clients, I leave Grace with Carla or the guys. She loves spending time with Carla because she gets away with everything there."

"Oh … I didn't know you were that close now."

"A lot has happened over the past four years." She cleared her throat and smiled to hide her discomfort. "Did you get a chance to look through the pictures?"

"No, not yet. I …" His excused died in his throat, but there was no disapproval in Ana's eyes. Just resignation. As if she hadn't been expecting much more from him.

"Well... I will be going to Dubai, tomorrow. I should be back by Wednesday."

She looked at him, fear clear in her eyes, and though she never said the words, he knew very well what she must be thinking. As much as he knew he was entirely to blame for the assumption, he still felt hurt by it.

"I won't drink, Ana. I'm going for business. To _Dubai_."

"You said the same before, and —"

"I'm not some raging alcoholic! Give me some credit. Do you really think I could be that selfish? Yes, I had a moment of weakness, but I regretted it immediately! If I felt as if it was nothing do you think I would have mentioned it?"

She averted her eyes before getting up and pouring herself another cup of tea, and Christian hated how her silences spoke so much more than her words. He heaved, shaking his head, and peacefully said, "I didn't come here to argue Ana. I don't want us to have a disagreement every time we see each other. I came because … I never gave you anything for your birthday."

He slid the jewellery box towards her, and she critically looked at it, before looking back at him, and for a moment, he saw Raymond standing in front of him. The way she was scrutinising him, analysing his breath, her sharp mind working on every possible outcome of their encounter.

"It's been two weeks."

"I know."

"Your lawyer should have had results of the paternity test by now. I thought you were bringing the documents for me to review and sign them."

"I told him to put everything on hold until after the surgery," he explained, doing his best to hide his annoyance that she had bounced a conversation that had been supposed to be about them, toward the little girl.

"Why?"

"Why not?" He retorted, keeping for himself that she seemed too emotionally drained to take care of everything _and_ make a rational decision about this situation.

"You don't care about Grace, Christian. Why pretend?"

"I never said that."

"You once told me that actions spoke louder than words. You haven't looked at her pictures. You haven't told your family about her. You haven't even _spoken to her once_ since you've known about her."

"You said she was sleeping. I can't talk to her when she's sleeping."

Once again, Ana smiled with that disdain that Christian hated so much. Especially when it was clearly aimed at him. She slid the box back in his direction, and told him, getting back up,

"A teddy bear would have been more appropriate. It's not me you have to prove yourself to."

"I thought you didn't want to tell her yet," he said without thinking. And she nodded as if she had made up her mind about something.

"In that case, you better go. _My daughter_ is going to wake up soon, and I promised her a walk in Central Park. Please tell your lawyer to send me the documents of you giving up custody as soon as possible."

"What about us?"

"I told you before. Things are different. You have your reasons to do what you do, and I have mine."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Christian went back to his hotel feeling even more frustrated than before seeing Ana. He had gone to her because she had always managed to calm him, and give him a sense of peace, but this time she had done nothing but make him feel even worse.

He wished she would just tell him what she was expecting from him, what she wanted him to do. If she wanted him to step up and fully recognise the child, she should just say so, instead of trying to be the bigger person and letting him decide all of this on his own. It was as if she didn't want to take responsibility for his actions, so nothing could be blamed on her later. He knew this tactic all too well, he had used it on numerous occasions in the past.

But he didn't get any time to sulk, because Elliott was waiting in the penthouse, looking at the photo album that Ana had given him and that he still hadn't opened. As soon as he closed the door, Elliott looked up from the album, dumbfounded.

"I thought I was your brother but I guess we aren't as close as I thought," he mused in a whisper, and though Christian kept his face unreadable and cool, he felt the lash of his brother's words as sharp as a whip.

_All night long, Christian waited for Ana to call him. He had waited two weeks before asking Andrea to send a hundred roses to Ana's office. Yes, he didn't send any note with the flowers, but surely, she must know they were coming from him. What more could a man do to say he was sorry?_

_He knew that she was angry at him for showing up at her place when she hadn't ever invited him there, and he fully blamed himself for that. Very early on, it became obvious to him that Ana had trust issues, and so he made sure never to reveal that he had had a full background check done on her before he ever proposed the idea of a contract. _

_He was sure that he knew more about her than she did. Like the fact that she had been ditched in front of a police station when she was barely a week old, and that the medics doubted that she even had been fed since she was extremely malnourished. _

_At some point in their relationship, Christian considered telling Ana about this part of her past, but she had never seemed interested in the details of her history. She seemed over it, no matter how justified she would be to want some revenge. Especially against the Millers._

_As the hours kept on passing, Christian found himself measuring the passage of time with glasses of whiskey. It was only once the bottle was empty, he concluded that she would not call him. He picked up his phone, just so he could call her and rant about the fact that any other woman on this planet would be swooning when receiving roses at work, but his fingers scrolled only to his brother's name._

_Elliott picked up after a couple of rings, his voice still heavy with sleep, though his first words were obviously a joke, "Man, not everyone lives on GMT time. I do need my beauty sleep." _

_"She left me," Christian whispered. He didn't mean it to be the first thing he said but he just couldn't get past it. Closing his eyes, he felt the sorrow take over him and for a moment, he was so overwhelmed by his emotions that he didn't notice his brother panicking over the phone. _

_"Christian! Answer me for fuck's sake."_

_"I … I came back from a business trip, and she was done with me. She doesn't want anything to do with me anymore. She doesn't answer my calls, my texts, not even my emails."_

_"What happened?" Elliott asked anxiously, and Christian swallowed with difficulty. _

_He didn't want to tell his brother the whole affair between Ana and him, because it was the only thing he had left of her. The secrecy of their relationship. Sure, Jose knew, but he trusted their friendship enough to know the man would keep their secret. _

_"Maybe it's for the best. I can focus more on work now."_

_"Fuck that. Ana is the best thing that happened to you in years, and you know it! I'll call her tomorrow to — "_

_"No! Leave her be. I don't need you to be a shrink right now and try to fix my problems. I need my brother …"_

No matter how much he didn't want to admit it, there had been a few tears shed that night. It took him months to really tell his brother what happened between Ana and him, but that night, he had just uselessly ranted on the dangers of wanting to be in a relationship and how he should have followed his motto and steered cleared from any and all relationships.

Of course, Elliott being Elliott he tried to persuade Christian that it was his hurt ego talking, and that deep down he loved Ana and just wanted her back. But in the end, he didn't push the issue too much and he had been the brother Christian needed. He even came to visit a week later and drank with him, not bringing Ana's name into the conversation even once.

But now Elliott was looking at him with a mix of hurt and anger. He turned the album, pointing at a picture of Grace and Ana, and said, "You have a kid with Ana and you _never_ told any of us?!"

Christian strode to him, snatching the album from his hands and closing it while explaining, "This is news to me, too. I just learned about her last Monday."

Elliott narrowed his eyes in Christian's direction, disbelief clear in them, as he got up from the couch.

"What are you doing here, anyway? Aren't you supposed to be spending the weekend with your kids?"

"I'm here because I was worried about my brother who suddenly stopped communication with me and whose PA told me he decided to stay in New York for the upcoming month. But that's beside the point. I must be honest here; I doubt that _Ana_ wouldn't have told you that she was pregnant with your kid. And it doesn't make sense… She wasn't pregnant when I saw her in February!"

Christian stayed silent, turning his back to his brother, not sure of how to explain the clusterfuck he was in without sounding insensitive. Elliott was a family man, and he wouldn't understand that Christian was worried about his company, about his image if this were to get out, about the fact that had he been smart enough to gear up, none of this would have happened, and he wouldn't be pondering if this was the worst mistake of his life.

"Christian?"

"It's none of your business, Elliott. I'll get Thomas on it as soon as she's feeling better."

"Thomas? Your lawyer?" He asked, before pausing, and realising, "Wait a second, she's sick?"

Christian heaved, putting the album down on the table. Elliott looked him up and down and stormed out of the hotel room. Christian didn't let it deter him and pulled his laptop open to do some work on it. He Skyped Ros for the rest of the afternoon, ignoring her digs on how he was not as productive as usual, until she declared that she needed to socialize, unlike Christian.

Once he was all alone with his thoughts, he did his best to keep busy with more work, but it was becoming harder and harder to do anything work related for the past few days. Shutting off his computer, he put on a pair of trainers and went for a jog, blasting his music as loud as possible to try and drown out his thoughts. Jogging had always been the best way for him to blow off steam and empty his mind, and as always, it worked wonders.

For the next two hours, he ran through the streets of New York, making sure to keep his hoodie on, in case some nosy paparazzo was lurking around, and when he got back to his hotel room he took a long hot shower to relax his muscles.

What he didn't expect after his shower was seeing his brother back in his room, waiting for him. "I'm not in the mood for a lecture, Elliott."

In fact, all he wanted at this moment was a drink. Just so he could relax, so he could empty his mind and feel that life was not spiralling out of control.

"I went to see Ana. She told me everything," Elliott announced, and Christian just looked at him, his jaw and fists clenched.

Elliott had been gone for most of the afternoon, and part of the evening as it was almost midnight. And yet, Ana hadn't kicked him out, saying nothing. She had welcomed him to spend most of the day with her and her daughter.

"She cried a lot, you know. She's terrified she made the wrong decision when contacting you because you've been a monumental ass. My words, not hers. She's scared you will break Grace's heart by disappearing as soon as the operation is done. And … she's terrified that Grace won't make it."

Elliott stayed silent, waiting for Christian to say something, but when the silence continued, he added,

"You do realise that Grace is your flesh and blood? She's not just a contract that appeared out of nowhere, she's a human being. She's _your kid_. And _your_ _kid_ might die because you've been selfish enough to drink and thus postponing the operation."

"I told you, Elliott, I'm not in the mood for a fucking lecture."

"I really couldn't give a shit about your mood, right now. What I can't understand is why you haven't even tried to talk to your daughter. I mean, Christian, you _can't_ fuck this up. There are no do-overs with kids. If you fuck this up now, you won't be able to fix it later. This isn't a company or a contract! You only get one chance, one opportunity to solidify your bond with your child! If you let it slip, it will be fractured forever, and you will regret it for the rest of your life."

Christian rolled his eyes, anger boiling in him. He didn't want to hear rational words from his brother, he didn't want to know that Ana had confided in his brother rather than in him. He didn't want to picture her in Elliott's arms, crying on his shoulder when she refused to cry in front of him a few days ago. And most importantly, he didn't want to feel the guilt that Elliott's words were causing him to feel in his heart.

It was during this accumulation of mixed emotions that he just snapped and told his brother, "So far, my biggest regret is that I didn't cover up! I wouldn't be in this fucking mess if I had paused for a damn second and thought of putting on a damn condom!"

Elliott looked at him, disgust clear on his face as he shook his head, though he did not leave as Christian had expected him to do. On the contrary, he walked to what used to be Ana's room, telling him, "Ana said you were going to Dubai tomorrow. I'll go back to Seattle then."

"You can't go in there. It's her room. You can take my room; I'll take the couch. I'm leaving early, anyway."

"Good. I'll use the opportunity to rid this place, and your penthouse in Seattle of all alcohol."

"_I'm not an alcoholic_!" He hissed through his clenched teeth. He was getting tired of having all those important people in his life judging him because of a small lapse in judgment.

"You do realise that is what alcoholics say, right?"

"I _forgot_. It's not like I drank on purpose. It was a lot to take in, all at once. Anyone else would have made the same mistake."

"You know, I've always thought that despite your awkwardness, you were a great man. You've always been generous. But _this_ … you're just turning out to be a selfish asshole who knows when to pretend that he cares.

I don't care what _you_ want to do about Grace. I'm not giving you a choice. She's my niece, and I will make sure that my kids will play and grow up with their cousin. They lost four years because you were too much of a coward to read a simple fucking letter. And you can make sure that this little girl you're trying so hard to reject is going to know her grandparents as well.

If you don't want anything to do with _your own daughter_, you shouldn't feel the need to contact the rest of your family either."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

When Christian came back to New York from Dubai the next Wednesday, he was exhausted and in a foul mood. Besides having his brother's last words constantly echoing in his brain, work wasn't going as smooth as it usually did. Ros kept on repeating to him that he should take a break, because he seemed on the verge of burning out, but he thought that was ridiculous. He never took time off since he had created his company, because no matter how much he trusted Ros, he didn't feel comfortable leaving it fully in her hands, even just for a week.

So, it was with the sweet thought of his bed that Christian went to his hotel. But as soon as he walked through the lobby, Elena hailed him, to let him know that his parents had taken a room in the hotel. He inwardly cursed his brother for letting them know already. He wasn't in the mood to hear them rant at him. But lately, he was never in the mood for anything.

He went to his parents' room, and Carrick opened the door, looking the angriest that Christian had ever seen him. Growing up, Elliott and he had always feared their Mom a bit more than their Dad. Carrick had always been the cool parent. The one who was laid back and snuck sweets to them behind Grace's back when they weren't supposed to have any.

As soon as he was in the room, Christian said, "I know what you're going to say, but what is done is done. I can't change the past, and neither can you. Elliott already gave me a lecture, so you can save your breath. I'm here because I want to save the kid, I'm doing my part."

Grace shook her head, showing her disappointment as she muttered so low that Christian almost didn't hear her. "You are lucky that this girl still holds you high in her heart. She took the whole blame on her and asked us to not be too hard on you since you knew nothing of this. And yet you refer to her as "the kid" when we're talking about _your daughter_."

"Mom don't shrink me. I'm tired and sleep deprived. You know it's not what I meant. And anyway, Ana said it herself, she wants full custody."

Grace looked at her son, shaking her head once again, asking more to herself than to Christian, "How did I mess up in raising you for you to have turned out this cold? I thought we gave you all the love you needed growing up, but there is obviously something missing."

"Mom, I told you, stop shrinking me."

"Sure. We didn't actually come for that but as it happens, here we are," Carrick intervened, his tone hard and curt. "We came to see Ana, and we're going back home tonight, to be honest. I just want you to try and understand what Ana went through since you obviously don't care about your own flesh and blood."

Christian rolled his eyes, breathing in deeply as he reminded his father of something crucial, "Ana has always wanted kids."

"Maybe, and you've always wanted your own company. But, Christian, how would have you felt if this company fell into your arms out of nowhere? How would you have felt if you didn't have time to physically and mentally prepare for the challenge that is being the CEO of a company?

Many women fall into depression after a cryptic pregnancy because they don't get those nine months of preparation. It seems mundane, but our bodies and our spirits need those nine months. And Ana was robbed of this. She never got the opportunity to rely on someone else because you refused to talk to her.

So, if you don't care about my granddaughter, try to care about the woman you claimed you love."

"I do care about her. About them both."

Grace stood up and walked to her son, so she could put her hand on his cheek, "Children can tell when they're unloved Christian. If you don't show love to your daughter, you're going to lose her forever. And no matter how Ana feels about you, she will always choose her daughter before you. She grew up without love, and she won't allow her daughter to go through the same pain."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Later that night, Christian was on the floor of Ana's bedroom, wishing more than ever that he could have a drink. With a disabused chuckle, the thought that he might be an alcoholic after all finally crossed his mind. But like with all the similar suggestions, he dismissed it. He was finally looking at the photo album that Ana had given him, each picture with a small footnote.

**Grace's first time in a plane.**

**Grace's first steps.**

**Grace's first tooth.**

**Grace's first pigtails (probably the last time as well, she is way too energetic to stay still for just two seconds)**

**Grace falling asleep on her potty.**

**Grace pretending, she can read books like her Ma.**

**Grace & Mommy in the London Eye.**

**Grace & Mommy waving to the Queen's guards.**

**Grace's first time being grounded (she turned the bathroom into an Olympic pool)**

**Grace petting a horse after crying for an hour when she realised how big they were.**

**Grace in Mulan's outfit, ready to meet Mickey in Paris.**

**Grace discovering body painting (obviously, she thinks she's a canvas)**

**Grace and Mommy baking cookies.**

**Grace learning to write her full name.**

**Grace at her Godfather's wedding.**

It seemed that each picture was a dig at his heart. Grace seemed happy in each one of those pictures. Even those were she was pouting, or the ones where she was obviously grounded, she still seemed happy. Each of those pictures were a reminder to Christian that he had missed a lot of this little girl growing up.

He took one of the pictures out of the album, inspecting it closer. Grace was probably two years old in this picture. It was obvious that Ana had meant to take a nice selfie with her daughter, but at the last second, Grace had taken her mother's face in her little hands and give her a cute open kiss on the cheek. Ana was laughing, her smile so radiant that Christian could almost hear her laugh.

He was not surprised that Ana took so many pictures of their daughter, even in the most mundane positions. Ana always liked pictures, and though she never told him why, he had an inkling.

_"And here, you have Christian asking his brother to open a peanut butter jar," Grace explained, showing a picture from Christian's photo album. _

_He rolled his eyes, staying as far as possible from the cursed object, not eager to see those pictures of himself that would bring him nothing but humiliation. But he was still watching Ana, and though she smiled and laughed with his mother, he could still see that there was something wrong. _

_For a moment, he just kept looking at the brunette, trying to pinpoint what could be bothering her, sure that his mother's remarks earlier about the Christmas traditions of Ana's family had affected the brunette, despite what she had claimed, when he finally understood._

_Ana had no pictures of her own to show. She had nothing that would showcase how she had evolved from toddler to the beautiful woman she was today. All she had were the memories she had made herself. There was no evidence of her growing up. _

_She must have felt him staring at her, because she looked up, smiling that smile that gave him wings, and when she looked back at the pictures, two things happened at once. His parents exchanged a knowing smile, whilst his brother looked at him, wiggling his eyebrows as he raised his glass of wassail to his lips. _

With a sigh, Christian closed the album, though he kept the one he had retrieved in his hands, looking at it with a lump growing in his throat. Ana had been alone to raise their child, she never got to experience the pregnancy that she so desperately wanted, and still, she made sure that Grace would have everything she wanted.

Through the pictures, Christian saw how Ana and Grace had visited some parts of Europe, how she had gotten their child used to the urban life, as much as the rural life. There was also the fact that Ana had made sure that Grace would be bilingual from a young age. He noticed a picture of Grace running away from a goat, her face showing a strange mix of fear and glee.

Never had he craved a drink so badly before that moment. He didn't really care about the taste of a good whiskey, or even the bittersweet burn in his throat, all he wanted was to stop feeling all those emotions at once. And that's why he called Ana, so he could hear her soothing voice, even though it would just be her voicemail.

What he didn't expect was for her to pick up, at the late hour. It was past midnight, and he had been sure that she would be asleep.

"Hello, Christian?"

"I didn't expect you to pick up."

"I wasn't sleeping. I don't… I'm awake."

There was a small awkward silence during which Christian had no idea of what to say. He swallowed with difficulty, wishing he could see her now that he was hearing her voice. He closed his eyes, putting the phone on speaker as he leaned back, his head resting against the bed frame since he was still on the floor.

"I can hang up and let you call back so you can talk to my voicemail if you want."

He chuckled, though it was slightly strangled. He had missed her smart mouth. He had missed her voice. He had missed _her_.

"Christian?" He remained silent, not sure of what to tell her. There was so much he wanted to tell her, but as usual, he never knew how to properly translate his thoughts and feelings when it came to Ana.

"Christian … are you … are you drunk?"

"No!" He promptly exclaimed, not even bothered anymore that this was her first assumption. After all, he was calling her in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. This seemed very much like a drunk dial.

"But to be honest, I'd love to have a drink, right now."

"Well, don't."

"I won't, Ana. I promise you I won't!" She didn't reply anything, probably not caring much for his promises anymore.

"Ana … I … I'm… I am _so_ sorry…"

Once again, a small silence installed between them. He felt his emotions start to take the better of him, but he refused to shed a single tear, no matter how much they were threatening to spill. He had no rights to pity himself.

"I wish things had gone differently. I wish I hadn't treated you the way I did, and listened more to your fears and hopes, instead of just thinking of covering my ass. I wish … I wish we could have spent those past five years together. I wish you didn't have to raise our daughter alone, that I could have been here with you. I wish that I didn't feel like a stranger to Grace. I … wish things were different."

He cleared his throat, shaking his head to prevent the tears from spilling as he waited for Ana to say something, anything. He had never felt so vulnerable in his whole life, and he hated not being able to see the face of the person who could take this weight off his shoulders.

"I'll never stop you from seeing your daughter, Christian. But if you want to be her father, you have to give it one hundred per cent."

"What if I fail?"

"It's a question that I ask myself daily." He could almost picture the small smile on her face. "I'm not asking you to be perfect. Just to try your best."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The next Friday, Christian was on his way to Ana's so he could have dinner with the girls. It wasn't planned, but he figured that it would be better if it was spontaneous since he couldn't impress a child with making reservations at fancy restaurants. He had no chance of disappointing the girls if they didn't have expectations, to begin with. And Ana had given him the access code of her building, with the promise that he could come and visit Grace whenever he wanted.

He was rather nervous because this was the first time he would ever talk to Grace. He hoped that Ana had never told her anything about her Dad, so she would be unbiased about him. He still wasn't sure if he should step up and assume the father position or not, but he knew that he could no longer simply turn a blind eye and pretend as if Grace didn't exist.

He knocked on Ana's door, his nervousness rising above the roof, but when the door opened, it completely vanished and was replaced by horror. There was a man slightly taller than him holding Grace in his arms, obviously in the middle of sharing a joke with the little girl.

The man had locks darker than ebony and electric blue eyes, his size and muscles impressive, and after briefly looking at him, he stepped aside and motioned Christian to come in as Grace hid her face in the crook of the guy's neck.

"You must be Christian. Ana is taking a bath right now but do come in. We were in the middle of putting together a puzzle."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

‼️**READ THE NOTE BELOW**‼️

💚** So, this time, there won't be any questions. I have learned that there are a few key workers reading this story (nurses, clerks, drivers) and I just want to show my support to them. We don't generally realise how lucky we are, when they have to risk their lives every single day, being in contact with hundreds of people, just to keep us safe and able to keep on living a somewhat of a life. **

‼️**So please, don't leave a review for me, but for them. So they can see your support through the comment session, so they can see that we do realise how difficult it is for them. Even if it's just a simple 'thank you', I am sure they would appreciate it. **‼️

💚** E.L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	6. Chapter 5: (Yellow) Rue

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

💚** "OI, Mina, it's been more than ten days! What are you doing?" Looking guilty, but proud: "Playing Scrabble." XD if you follow me on Instagram, you know that I spent the whole of last week playing Scrabble, and planting flowers in pots instead of writing. Because, well, why not? Haha. But here it comes. And I already started writing the next chapter, so it should come soon. Hihi. **

‼️**DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW**‼️

**Love, Mina **💚💚💚

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy**💚

**Chapter 5: (Yellow) Rue (4,2 K)**

For a moment Christian stood frozen, looking at the man from head to toe. Though he knew he had no right to, his eyes first went to his left hand, to check if the man was wearing a ring. But the finger was free of any decorations, which didn't necessarily mean much. After all, the few times he had seen Ana since she came back, her fingers had been free of all sort of jewellery. But maybe they were the sort of couple that didn't want to wear wedding bands.

All he could think about was the fact that Ana was comfortable enough with this man to leave him alone with her child whilst she was taking a bath. _Ana_, with all her trust issues, the one who refused to tell him where she lived for two years, trusted this man enough to have him look after the person who mattered the most to her in this world.

And Grace herself had her tiny arms wrapped around the man's neck, doing her best to hide her face from Christian, using the man as a shield. Obviously, Ana didn't need him to step up as a father, as her daughter already had one.

He took a minute step backwards, that did not go unnoticed by the blue-eyed man. This was his out. He could go back to his "normal" life after the operation, and Grace would never need to know about him. Sure, he would lose Ana, but in the end, wasn't it for the best? She obviously had the life she had always wanted, if it weren't for the small deviation of Grace's illness; and she didn't fit in the life _he_ wanted. Not anymore now that she came with a kid. Maybe he could distantly stay in Grace's life by paying child support and asking Ana to send him pictures occasionally.

But then, just as he was considering leaving before Ana ever got the chance to see him unwanted at her doorstep, he recalled his brother's last words. He and Elliott hadn't been in contact since his brother basically called him an insensitive alcoholic and told him that he would cut ties with him if he refused to be in little Grace's life.

And no matter that he wasn't very active in his family's life; he knew he couldn't completely sever ties with them. Even though he didn't see them as often as he ought to, they were still a part of his life, and as Ana had pointed out so many times, they were a part of his balance between work and everything else.

The man fondly smiled to him, signalling with his hand for Christian to get in, as he added, "I'm Andrew, by the way. Come on in. I don't know what Ana cooked for tonight, but it's in the oven, and it smells delicious."

"It's lasagna night!" The little girl cried out, obviously obfuscated that _Andrew_ could have forgotten about such an important thing. And though his mind was fully focused on the man who was so at ease inviting him in to Ana's home, a part of Christian agreed with the young girl. _How could one forget about Ana's lasagnas?!_

Andrew rolled his eyes, smiling mockingly at the little girl before nudging her and asking, "Instead of thinking of food, did you say hi?"

She pouted, and the slight crease in her brows made him think of Jason pouting after being scolded. She looked in his direction, her bright blue eyes apprehensive, and she said in the smallest voice there could be, "Hello, Mr Christian."

"Hi," he awkwardly answered, before following them inside, fighting his instincts to walk the other way and go back to his hotel room.

_Andrew_ confidently led them to the living room where Christian could see a massive puzzle in construction. He sat on the sofa, whilst Andrew sat on the floor, and Grace sat on his lap, reaching for a new piece so she could examine it as if it was a precious diamond. Christian took a longer look at the puzzle, estimating that it was at the very least a thousand pieces, and though the middle was missing, it looked like when finished, it would depict a Chinese dragon.

He did find it weird that such a young girl was doing such a complicated puzzle, but did not comment on it, and instead listened to the conversation between Grace and the man who obviously substituted for her father.

"My mommy said that when I will feel better, Grams will take us to see a musical. And it's not one with princesses and stuff. It's the bedtime story she is reading to me for now."

"That's nice. Did you already listen to the songs? What's your favourite?"

"My mommy said that I can't listen now. Because there is a magic surprise for me when we will see the musical with Grams."

Andrew smiled, mostly giving the pieces of the puzzle to Grace instead of placing them. The two of them kept on talking, whilst Christian just witnessed the obvious bond between them, and he did not like how it made him feel inside. The little girl was talking to Andrew as if he was the best thing there was in her life, laughing at his jokes and consulting him every time she was hesitant about a placement of a puzzle piece.

It was only when Grace suddenly got up and rushed to her room that he understood what he was feeling.

"Andrew! I forgot to show you something!"

As Grace stormed out of the room, relief coursed through Christian's veins, he looked at Andrew who was pushing himself up on the sofa, now sitting at the opposite end of him. She had called him by his name, and not _Daddy_. Even if she was formal with Christian, there was no daddy in her life. That spot was still open, and he would make sure that he would occupy it.

He was perfectly aware that this feeling was not coming from a good place. If his mother were here, she would lay him down on the couch and make him admit how he was feeling jealous and possessive over a title he did not deserve. And how it was abnormal for him to want to be in Grace's life not because she was his daughter, but because he didn't want her to call other men her dad. But his mother wasn't here for now, and he was sure he would grow to like the little girl, just like he had grown to love Ana.

Andrew looked at him, seemingly ready to say something, but before a single word could escape his mouth, Grace came back, brandishing a black stuffed animal, as she started explaining,

"I got it when I left the hospital! And Tío Jose said we were going to see Toothless at the movies together! Listen! Listen! He _roars_!"

She pressed on a paw of what looked like a misshapen dragon, and the stuffed animal did indeed roar. Andrew clapped, laughing with Grace, though his eyes briefly stayed on Christian as if he knew something Christian didn't. _Finally_, Ana appeared in the living room, only wearing a towel to cover herself, whilst she was patting her wet hair with another towel.

"Thank you so much, Andrew. You have no idea how bad I needed…, "

Her voice died down in the middle of her sentence as she spotted Christian looking at her with a clenched jaw and hands in fists.

Not only did she trust this Andrew guy to come into her home and spend time alone with her daughter, but she was comfortable enough around him to walk around practically naked, her hair down, without a care in the world.

For a moment she held his gaze, not feeling embarrassed in the slightest to have been caught with so little clothing on, and when Christian didn't say a word, she just smiled, shaking her head as she said, "Of course you'd show up on lasagna night, of all nights." Then she turned to look at her daughter, and told her,

"We'll be eating in ten minutes, Grace. So, clean up your puzzle pieces, and we'll get back to it tomorrow."

Grace did as she was told, without pouting or arguing, unlike what children usually did, and Andrew helped her put the loose pieces in different containers according to their colours, as she excitedly told him,

"You know, my Mommy said that we would spend our first Thanksgiving with Grams."

"You're going to fly on a plane again, then. You'll love Los Angeles. It's hot and — "

"No, no. Grams lives in America. We don't need to fly to go visit her."

Andrew chuckled and explained, "Los Angeles is in America. But you need a plane to go there, because it is very, _very_ far away. Remember when you took the train to go to Canterbury?"

Grace nodded with a serious face as she was trying to understand the concept of taking a plane to travel within a country, and Christian started to put two and two together as to who Grams was.

"You know, Grams told me she'll let me eat all I want because I won't be sick anymore. She even said she will make a pumpkin pie, but I think she is wrong. Pumpkins are for Halloween. Just like we had last year."

"I remember. You were the cutest dragon I ever saw."

Grace giggled, and Christian felt a sudden urge to throw this man out of the window, for robbing moments from him he would never get back and rubbing it in his face. He turned his head slightly, just so his feelings wouldn't be obvious on his face, and he heard noises coming from the kitchen, proof that Ana was already there.

Though he wanted to go, he didn't want to leave Andrew alone with Grace, and his moral dilemma was cut short when the other man promptly got up, announcing that he would help Grace's mommy. Just as he passed by Christian, though, he muttered just loud enough for only Christian to hear,

"I'm not a threat, Grey. Never really was."

Christian didn't say anything, nor even showed a sign that he had heard him, focusing his gaze on Grace now, who was religiously sitting her stuffed animal on the sofa. She timidly glanced at him, and he decided to do what everyone had been telling him to do since he had learnt he had a child: tried to talk to the girl.

"So … you like puzzles?"

"Yes, Mr Christian. Andrew brought it to me because I was at the hospital."

"Oh ... I see," he awkwardly said, not sure what more he could add.

He realised that he should have thought to bring a toy of some kind, not because she was his kid, but because she was a kid going through a difficult time, and finally, he understood Ana's calm anger when he had arrived a few days ago with a gift for her, but not for their daughter. But in all honesty, he had no idea what one bought for kids, and if he called Elliott for advice, his brother would have made a bigger deal out of it than necessary.

"Mr Christian?" Grace asked, sitting up on the sofa herself, so her little dragon would be between her and Christian. He turned his head to her, though he let her know,

"You don't ... have to call me _Mr_ Christian, you know."

"My mommy said it is polite to call grown boys mister."

"Of course," he muttered, doing his best to keep his annoyance to himself. She looked at him, her face showing seriousness as she asked,

"Do you live here?"

"No, I actually live in Seattle."

"So, you're new to America, like me?"

"Oh, no. Seattle is in America, it's just far away."

"Do you need a plane to get home?"

"Yes. But I have a place here as well."

"So, you live here? In America?"

He nodded, having no idea why it was so important for her to know that, though he was quickly enlightened,

"Grams said that in America, you eat a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. Is that true, or was she making a joke?"

She had narrowed her eyes in suspicion, daring Christian to lie to her face, and he couldn't stop a small smile as he answered,

"It is very true. And it is very good. My Mom even makes pumpkin cookies."

Grace looked at him with round eyes, barely believing her ears, before she narrowed her eyes at me, slightly pouting, demanding, "Are you making a joke?"

He chuckled and put his hand over his heart, as he assured her, "No, I swear it's true. I'll get her to make you some if you want."

She brightly smiled, though it quickly faded away, as she said, "My mommy said I can't eat a lot. But later when I am better, okay?"

Then, she got up and went to the kitchen, sure of herself that she had just made a great deal regarding the cookies. Christian followed her and the four of them sat around the table as Ana served each of them a plate. Grace had the smallest portion, and she looked at Christian's plate with indignation when her mother passed him his serving.

Before she could even say a word, Ana shut her down, "We already had this conversation, Grace, you can't stuff yourself with lasagna. Not until you get back from the hospital after you're all fixed up."

"But Mama, it's not _fair_! He gets to eat all the lasagna."

"Don't be rude. I already told you not to compare what you have with what other people have on their plate. Besides, Christian loves lasagna just as much as you do."

Grace glanced at Christian again, and he felt that the small progress they had made talking about pumpkin cookies was now gone. She was seeing him as a rival who was here to steal her lasagna.

"Well, he's not having mine," she protectively mumbled, putting her arm between Christian and her so she could shield her food from him. Ana rolled her eyes whilst Andrew covertly laughed and Christian kept receiving death glares from Grace.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The dinner was just as awkward for Christian as when he had waited for Ana to come back from her bath. He truly felt like an outsider intruding on an intimate family moment. Both Ana and Grace felt completely free with Andrew, and a few of their interactions showed Christian that Andrew was considered as part of the family.

Still, no matter that he disliked the man with every fibre of his body, he had to admit that Andrew was mostly the one doing his best to include Christian in conversations. Especially the ones with Grace. And no matter how much he wanted to hate the guy, he couldn't fault him for trying to make things less awkward for him.

When it came time for Grace to go to bed, she dragged Andrew to her room so he could read her the "French book that Mommy is reading to me now," and Christian watched them disappear together, with very mixed feelings. Sure, it meant he had time alone with Ana, but it also meant that Andrew was there being the father figure _he_ should be.

Ana got up, and started cleaning the kitchen, leaving Christian alone with his thoughts. It was only when she was in the middle of doing the dishes that he snapped out of it. He had always been surprised at how quick Ana could make a messy kitchen appear clean again. In the past, no matter how many times he would tell her that his housekeeper or the room service would take care of the mess, she still insisted on cleaning, claiming that she liked to do it anyway.

Without a sound, he got up and placed himself behind her. But she did not have the reaction he had hoped. She froze before taking a step to the right and putting some reasonable distance between them, reprimanding him.

"Christian …"

"As I told you before Ana. I still have feelings for you, and I won't repeat the same mistake twice."

"And as_ I_ told you before, things are different now."

He held her gaze, finally bringing up the elephant in the room, "Is it because of _Andrew_?"

For a second she looked at him before shaking her head and retaking her place in front of the sink, subtly forcing him to step back so he wouldn't be in her personal space.

"No. If you can't understand how things are different, you might need to have an appointment with your mother."

"If you're talking about Grace, wouldn't it be better for her if we were together?"

"Not really. The Christian I knew could go days, even weeks, without contacting me. The Christian I knew worked all the time, even when we were eating together. The Christian I knew rarely took the time to just live in the moment. And most importantly, the Christian I knew never spent time with his family of his own free will. Have you changed? Does this Christian only exist in my memory? Or are you still the exact same Christian who couldn't leave work behind even to look over a table to hold a conversation?"

Christian clenched his jaw, not giving her any answer because they both knew the truth. She didn't even spare him a glance, just shaking her head with a sad smile as she finished the dishes and cleaned the sink.

"You see, I have a lot of flaws, Christian. And I'm rather ignorant of life in general. But … I won't allow you to make my daughter feel like she doesn't matter. I can understand that you want to be in her life, and that you want to be her father. I do.

And to be fair, a father doesn't really matter. So many people have terrible fathers and end up being great people, and vice versa. But a Dad … it's a different story. If we go your way, and you treat her like you treated me, what kind of message does that send to her? It will just show her that she doesn't matter, that she is just an afterthought, and no matter what has happened between you and me in the past, I will _never_ allow you to make her feel like that.

And, to be honest ... I don't think you could be her Dad, or that you would even want to be her Dad."

"No, of course not. You'd rather have _Andrew_ take that role."

"I told you, Andrew is just a friend."

"_I_ was just a friend at one point! And I don't think you would have let me tell your daughter a bedtime story if we had been in this situation!" He retorted with more anger than he intended. She turned her head to look at him, her damn condescending smile back on her lips.

"Andrew will never replace you as a father if that's what you're worried about."

Though he kept it to himself, he felt relieved. It wasn't as much that he wanted to be Grace's Dad, as he just didn't want Andrew to be.

"What about as a lover?"

"He is just a friend," she said, in barely a whisper, and though she had rejected him earlier, he raised his hand to caress her cheek, which wasn't chastised as he thought it would be.

"And what benefits does he get out of this friendship?"

"Christian …"

Their moment was interrupted by Andrew clearing his throat, standing by the entrance of the kitchen. Ana promptly put some distance between them, which didn't go unnoticed by Christian who wondered why she was so embarrassed if she was just _friends_ with Andrew, to begin with.

"She's fast asleep, so I'm going to head off. But … I was thinking about taking her to the zoo, tomorrow."

Ana grimaced, apparently opposed to the idea, and Christian couldn't agree more. Grace didn't need more alone time with _Andrew_ and his charming ways.

"Don't worry, I know how you feel about zoos. You're not invited anyway. I just want her to see giraffes since it was the plan for this summer," Andrew lightly said, unknowingly getting on Christian's nerves.

It was now obvious that Andrew didn't live with Ana, so he had no business staying any longer. Just like he had no business trying to spend more time with Grace. If anyone was to take her to the zoo, it should either be Ana or himself.

But before he could find anything to say that would subtly put that man and his overbearing presence back in his place, Ana's face dropped, and Andrew quickly strode over to her, claiming,

"I didn't mean it that way. She will still get to see giraffes in Africa next year. I just want to prepare her for how big they are, so she doesn't cry for an hour like she did with the horses."

Ana looked down, and it finally hit Christian. Seeing her so vulnerable, doing her best to hold back tears, he finally understood what everyone had been telling him for weeks. _Grace might not make it_. Everyone from Raymond to his parents had told him to go to his daughter and appreciate the moments, because there might not be many. But it had never really dawned on him that his child might die. After all, the natural order of life was for children to grieve their parents, not the other way around.

Maybe it was seeing Ana subtly acknowledge that Grace might not be able to see giraffes next year that made him realise it, but he knew that he would surely stay in New York if Grace was still in a critical state. In fact, at this very moment, he cared very little about Andrew and his plans of giraffes. All he wanted was to go to the other room and watch his daughter sleep.

So, without a word, he left the kitchen, just as Andrew was lifting Ana's chin and telling her to get her mind out of that dark place. He made his way to Grace's room, opening a couple of wrong doors on the way, and found the little girl sleeping, holding her dragon close to her.

The wall of her room was plastered with dragons of different cultures, and he saw a picture of Ana and Grace dressed as Cri-Kee and Mushu on her bedside. Silently, he entered the room, paying more attention to the details that would tell him more about his child. There were a few puzzles on the walls, all visuals of dragons, and all way too advanced for what Christian thought such a young child could do.

There were bookshelves, filled with books and colouring books. Christian sat on the floor, by the head of his daughter's bed, and peeked at a piece of paper on the nightstand. On it was _Grace Marianne Steele & Anastasia Mommy Steele _written in what he thought had to be Grace's handwriting. Though the letters were not perfect, Christian was surprised at how well they were written considering it had been by a five-year-old.

Those simple names proved one thing to Christian. The sad reality was that Grace had been perfectly happy without him. All she needed was on that piece of paper, her mommy. Her mommy who had been with her from the start, who gave her all the love she needed, who had given Grace her last name.

He closed his eyes, putting himself in his daughter's shoes. What if Michael had never wanted to be his Dad? What if he had known about him, but that was all he would ever get? Just some distant recognition that he existed. He had completely blown it. Ever since he had learned about Grace, he had thought she was nothing but a mistake, and now…

Now, she might die and never know he was her father.

What if he had opened that letter back when it was sent? Would he have done the right thing? He wanted to say yes, but without Grace's illness, he knew he wouldn't have even contacted Ana, afraid of succumbing to her demands. He would probably have given the letter to his lawyer and asked him to deal with it as discreetly as possible.

"I'm sorry, Grace. Your father is just a complete screw-up Dad. He hasn't even tried and yet he already failed. You deserve much better than me."

He opened his eyes, watching the little girl's regular breathing. She really didn't look much like Ana. Especially now that she had her eyes closed. Then he got up and straightened his clothes, as he uselessly kept on talking to his sleeping daughter.

"But your daddy is a selfish man. And he'll do his best to deserve you. Because that's what he wants now."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, no cliffhanger, just me being nice and warming that cold heart of Christian's. Hihi. Truly hope you liked the chapter, and back with the questions, **

**1\. ****How do you feel about Christian, now?**

**2\. What do you think of Andrew?**

**3\. How do you feel about Ana?**

**4\. What was your favourite part? Mine was the Mr Christian**

**5\. What do you think will happen next?**

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	7. Chapter 6: Black Opal & Black Rich Blend

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

💚** Sooooo guess who's back? Back again? Mina's back, tell a friend (yes, I like Eminem, sue me, haha) This is a big chapter as you can see, and I can't wait for you guys to read it. Because …. Well, because I wrote it XD. **

‼️**ABOUT THE REVIEWS**‼️

**1\. First of all, I'm not the only evil person, because several people did mention the possibility of Grace dying. So, see, I'm not as evil as some of you thought! **

**2\. About Andrew. I'm going to burst the bubble, he is not gay in the slightest! He's 100% heterosexual, and if you need visual representation for him, picture Henry Cavill (do I even need to explain why?)**

**3\. About Christian. Several times in the other story, Ana said that Christian was a proud man with a big ego and that he was quite stubborn. And remember what Carrick said, when you are pregnant, you have nine months to get used to the idea of someone relying on you. It is NECESSARY, nature does things well. But it is also necessary for the father. Many fathers throughout history have said again and again that they only felt the connection with their kid when they held their child. Christian didn't have nine months, only years of preaching he didn't want a family. He can't change his mind in the blink of an eye. **

**4\. About Grace, just a couple of you caught on what has been hinted several times, so kudos to you guys! And yeah, her protecting her lasagna from Christian was so cute. I think she's cute. ^^ **

**5\. About Ana, well, I think it's obvious where her heart lies. With Grace. Haha. But she has hinted a couple of things as to how she feels about Christian, and if you're not sure, go back to the letter. But her priority is Grace, and as she said, she will protect her child, no matter what.**

**6\. I am surprised that no one caught on the change of title for the last chapter though ... Remember how the previous was built chapter-wise ...**

‼️**DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW**‼️

**Love, Mina **💚💚💚

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy**💚

**Chapter 6: Black Opal & Black Rich Blend (9,6K)**

Just as silently as he entered Grace's room, Christian exited, closing the door with extra care so it wouldn't wake her. He went back to the living room, where he found Ana ironing some clothes. For a moment, neither of them said a word, though it was obvious that she knew he was in the room, and he leaned against the doorframe, noticing Andrews absence. As soon as he had observed it, Ana commented in a soft voice,

"You were in Grace's room for quite a while, so Andrew left. But he did mention that you were more than welcome to go to the zoo with them, tomorrow."

Christian stayed silent, watching Ana iron one of her shirts and keeping to himself that the less time he had to spend with _Andrew_, the better he felt. She could confirm over and over that they were just friends but there was something more between them and in all honesty, he wasn't sure if he wanted to know.

On one hand, he couldn't really fault Ana for trying to make a life for herself, especially with a guy who her daughter adored. But on the other … the very idea of her being intimate with anyone but himself made him want to burn the world down. He knew that he had no right to feel like that and he had no claim over her. He had hurt her in the past and then refused to see her when all he would have needed to do was delay his flight just a couple of hours. And there was that whole fiasco with the letter… But it was obvious that he was never a very rational man when it came to his love interests.

His previous relationships had never lasted long, and it had always come down to one of two things: He could be jealous beyond reason, and he knew it. The other reason had been the very little time and effort he would put in the relationship, especially after he started his company. But with Ana … things had been different.

Sure, his jealousy had been very much present, especially when Jack was around, but she had always managed to make him realise that he was being ridiculous, without always having to say it. It was all done in subtlety, through hints and looks. And throughout the months they spent together, he found that he was surprisingly happy to put his phone down or unplug his brain for an hour or two around Ana.

When she looked up at him, expecting an answer to the invitation, he cleared his throat and avoided going into the topic of spending time with Ana's _man-friend_ by stating an obvious truth,

"He knows."

"More like he guessed. The only person who knows is Jose. No one really likes asking single mothers about their baby-daddy."

Christian frowned, staying against the doorframe as Ana kept ironing her clothes, "So Grace … She never asked about me?"

"She asked about her Daddy when we started going to the park and she saw other kids with dads. And … I told her that her Daddy is a very nice and generous man who hasn't forgotten about her, but who is busy making other people happy."

"So, you lied," he clarified.

"No. You are a nice, generous and busy man. And you are making yourself happy by building the empire that matters so much to you."

He shook his head, thinking to himself that it was still a lie in the eyes of anyone who wasn't a businessman, a politician, or a lawyer. But that made finding out the truth even more bitter.

"Is this _really_ how you see me, Ana? As a selfish man who only thinks of his own happiness?"

"Are you sure you want an answer to that?" She immediately retorted, her tone a bit snappier than before.

"I thought you really knew me. You've seen me in a light that not even my family has seen me in for a long time. You … I thought you'd see deeper than the rest of the world," he admitted.

Maybe he was all wrong. Maybe the Ana he had fallen in love with had never been there. Maybe _that_ Ana had just been a façade he had thought up and hadn't cracked until now.

"I thought so too …" She said in a whisper before stopping her ironing and deeply inhaling through her nose. She looked at him, fixing her beautiful blue eyes on his grey orbs, and she admitted,

"I'm sorry, I'm just being bitter and petty. I am tired, and I shouldn't take it out on you. It's just … I understand Christian, it is hard for you, who was always so adamant about not having kids, to suddenly have a daughter out of nowhere. I understand how hard it must be for you to come to terms that your life has forever changed and that there is nothing you can do about it. I understand better than anyone. But …

You must understand that no matter how I feel for you, I spent the past four years resenting you because I thought you didn't want anything to do with Grace. I knew you received the letter, and I never would have imagined that you wouldn't read it. You've always been so… to the point. And the year before Grace … there was …"

She didn't finish her thought, but she didn't have to. And there was the proof that, even years later, she was still hurt by the way things ended, by the way he had treated her. So, he guessed this was the time to set things straight,

"Ana … I never saw you as a prostitute. And never in a million years would I wish to make you feel like one."

_When Christian woke up, he could feel Ana's heart beating in his hand as he held her naked breast in his palm. Her birthday had gone nowhere near as planned. He had wanted to tell her how he felt after she blew out the candles, to break off the contract and to start a real relationship with her. _

_For more than a year, he had found excuse after excuse, cowering from manning up and just telling the woman he loved how he felt. And in all honesty, he had gotten complacent in the situation they were in. Sure, it had its inconveniences, like his growing sexual frustration, but overall, the only thing missing from them being an actual couple was either of them saying it out loud. _

_Of course, all of this was before Raymond had filled Ana's head with this stupid idea of London. And of course, being stubborn as she was, she had set her mind on going there, even claiming that it was the best thing for them. And though relationships had never been his forte, Christian knew that if she went without them clarifying their relationship status, he would ultimately lose her. And for one simple reason. _

**_Children_**_. _

_As he kept on admiring the sleeping brunette in his arms, delaying the moment he would have to get up and leave her warm presence, he tried, for once to put himself in that future she wanted so badly, that future he had spent the past two years trying to subtly change so that it could fit in his plans. For once, he tried to see what it would be like to have children with Ana. To live this apple pie life that left such a bitter taste in his mouth. _

_And no matter how much he knew it would make her happy, it wasn't something he could see himself doing. No matter how he would picture it, the result was always the same: he would end up sacrificing his company for a family. He knew if Ana found out about this trail of thoughts, she would argue that he was already sacrificing his family for his company. But he had become used to this. It was something he knew, and in fact, something that made him thrive. _

_Still sleeping, Ana shifted a little and snuggled even closer to him, making it harder for him to get up. Though his favourite moments were when she smiled, her sleeping in his arms was a close second. She seemed so peaceful and relaxed when she slept, she even seemed younger than she was. _

_He knew that, had he been less selfish, he would have let her go as soon as he started feeling something for her. Or he could have even used her perfect excuse of London. He wouldn't give her the one simple thing she wanted. But he was a selfish man, _**_especially_**_ when it came to Ana. And he could give her so much more. He could give her the world. _

_Mindlessly, he kept on caressing her arm, his eyes spotting the hickey she had on her neck. And even though he knew she would probably call him a caveman for it, he couldn't help but feel proud of it. It was proof that she was his, that he had taken her to nirvana. If only there were a more permanent way to let the world know …_

_And then, he remembered, there was. He might not be able to give Ana her full dream, but he could give her a part of it. _

_He finally got out of bed, quickly grabbing his phone to text Andrea so she could book him an appointment with the top jeweller in Hong Kong. Then, he took a quick shower and got ready hurriedly, quickly scribbling a note that he left for Ana by her purse, along with the money that signified the end of their contract. _

_This certainly wasn't how he had planned everything. First, he never thought hormones would take over so quick and so strong. He had planned to have a piece of cake with Ana and explain to her that he wanted to end her birthday on a high note. That he wanted something with her that was more than their contract. He even had the money ready, just so they could start over on a clean slate. _

_Sure, he would have liked to have this conversation face to face, but he didn't have the heart to wake her up to talk about all of this. Especially since he didn't even have a ring to propose with yet. Ana was sleeping soundly, which was a rare feat since she was an early bird, and the caveman in him liked to think it was because he did his job properly. _

_He gently kissed her forehead, before leaving the room, his heart full of hope for when she would call him later, they might finally become a real couple. _

Ana snapped him out of his reminiscence by folding her ironing table and letting him know,

"It's in the past now. You know, for a while I kept telling myself that we were a fluke and that things would have been so much better if we had never met. I mean, you are you, and I… I was in a bad place when it came to feelings. But then, Grace happened, and I could never regret anything that brought me the best thing in my life."

"I don't regret having met you. I never have. I might have cursed everything having to do with you whilst … not completely sober, but as Elliott so charmingly pointed out the last time I saw him; you're the best thing that ever happened to me. I was just too… slow on letting you know.

Even without what happened on your birthday … I'd known for a while how I felt for you, but I didn't tell you because …"

He stopped himself, realising how much of a hypocrite he was being. Just a few minutes ago he was complaining that she saw him as a selfish man, but the truth was he had been trying to change her, and make her shift her hopes and dreams so she would fit in his lifestyle, the way he had wanted it to be.

Embarrassed, he just cleared his throat, his first instincts telling him to evade this part of him. But if he wanted to start over with her, he needed to prove her that she could trust him, and so far, he had done such a terrible job that the only way to fix anything in this situation was to come clean.

"I didn't tell you as soon as I knew, because I was hoping I could change you first before revealing my feelings. I was hoping that maybe you would change your mind on kids. I just … I don't know …

And then, came excuse on top of excuse, and any new defence was better than the previous one. And then, you kept pushing me away, talking about that _stupid blonde wife_ and your own future kids when all I wanted to do was to keep you for myself."

He finally looked into her ocean eyes, ready for the verdict to fall, but what he saw was not what he had expected. She was sadly smiling to him, a look of resignation on her beautiful face as she shook her head and translated what he had just said,

"So, I was right. You never really loved me." He could see the hurt on her face, but before he could even try to get closer to her, she picked up the ironed laundry and continued, before he could say a word,

"You can't love someone if you're trying to change them. Even _I_ know that."

"No! It's not … I just wanted to keep you for myself. And you were perfect the way you were. You made me want to push myself and better myself. I … I was on a delusional cloud where I thought I could have it all, without making any compromises. I …"

He passed his hands through his hair, frustration growing by the second. How come he could be so articulate in front of hundreds of people on business but so incoherent, stuttering and saying everything but what he meant when it came to his feelings?

"Ugh! I've never been good at this, Ana."

"No, obviously not," she conceded with a shake of her head before telling him that she would be right back and leaving him alone in the room.

He started pacing, knowing that he needed to get better at telling her how he felt, because right now, he wasn't saying much of anything, and there was no way he could ever hope to get her back with this sort of discourse. When she came back, she was holding a heavy cardboard box which she sat on the table while sitting on the sofa and inviting Christian to do the same.

"This … is part of everything you have gotten me whilst we were together. It's mostly the jewellery to be fair. The clothes, bags and shoes are —"

"What am I going to do with them? Do you really think I'm going to start wearing earrings, all of a sudden?" He interrupted her, not liking where this conversation was going. It sounded a lot like she was ready to put things in the past and move on, whilst all he wanted was to patch them up.

She opened her mouth, but he interrupted her once again, reminding her of something he had been telling her ever since she came back into his life, "I told you before, I still have feelings for you."

She remained silent, looking down at the box sitting between them. Christian leaned back and closed his eyes, trying to not sound like an idiot as he explained,

"I know I fucked up. And not just by not reading the letter. I fucked up when it was just the two of us. And I fucked up even worse ever since you've come back. But I swear, Ana. I will make it up to you. To Grace. To _us_. I will fight so Grace can see me as her Dad, but I will fight just as hard to win you back. And as I told you many times in the past, I don't play fair."

She sighed, and he opened his eyes to look at her. The condescending smile was back on her face, and this was probably the thing he hated the most in the world. He hated all the things that this simple lift of her lips, mixed with that slight shake of her head meant of what she thought of him. He hated it more than anything.

"So, Grace and I are just your newest challenge? We've pushed you out of your comfort zone, and you can't bear not overcoming a challenge. What will happen when you acquire us? We're not trophies, Christian. We're not a contract that you can win over and then write out the way you want us to act."

It was almost word for word what Elliott had told him. Except this time, Ana was also included in this contract metaphor. and just as much as he didn't like it when his brother made the comparison, he liked it even less now that it was Ana voicing it. It made him feel like all the people important to him only saw him as a selfish asshole who resembled a robot more than a human.

He chuckled darkly, passing his hand over his face as he said, "You really have lost all faith in me. I've _never_ seen you as a trophy, Ana. I told you before. You're the best thing that happened to me. Give me time, and I'll prove it to you."

She didn't reply, and Christian observed her, trying to decipher if her silence was due to doubt, or if it was because she would just wait for his actions to prove him right. He looked down, his eyes falling on the box. This box represented all that was wrong in their relationship. No matter how priceless and beautiful the jewellery was, Christian had never seen Ana wear any of it just for the sake of it. Unlike the necklace that she was wearing at that very moment. And though he hated to admit, he knew the reason why.

Whoever gave this necklace to Ana, there was a sentimental attachment to it. Whereas none of his gifts had a sentimental value to either of them. And it was logical since everything except for the ring had been bought as an errand. Either Andrea or his personal shopper had picked out the trinkets.

He cleared his throat, looking away, and decided to talk about something he knew would make Ana happy, and would allow him to know more about his daughter.

"I saw that Grace's bedtime story is _Les Misérables_."

"Yeah, she likes it."

"It's a bit harsh for a kid, isn't it?"

Ana raised an eyebrow at him, as she repeated, "She likes the story."

"But … she's _four_."

"And that means that I should only read her stories of princesses and unicorns?"

"I don't know, Ana. I know that's what my Mom did. She used to read me Ferdinand and shit like that. I just thought I'd find those kinds of books on Grace's bedside. Not some book about how some French guy stole some bread and got served twenty years for it."

"You do realise that some fairy tales are just downright gory. Like the Little Red Riding Hood who gets raped after her grandmother. And anyway, Grace has become obsessed with French culture after our trip to Disneyland. I'm not going to curb her curiosity and interests just to make it more comfortable for other people."

He nodded, mostly because he agreed. Sure, he was surprised that Grace could find interest in something as complex as the French novel, but if there was one thing he knew, it was not to limit someone's natural curiosity.

"You know, if she likes France and all, I could take her there. The three of us could even go for Christmas?"

"We already have plans for Christmas," she let him know, looking at him as if he was missing some crucial information.

"Oh … of course. Some other time, then?" He nervously proposed, and she smiled, though it was clear that she didn't want to talk of the future much since it was quite unclear for now.

She must have understood that he caught up on her mood, because she smiled brightly, straightening up on her seat, and told him, "Grace is very much into dragons as well, as you probably saw in her room. We're going to see a cartoon with Jose and Karl next Saturday. Do you want to come?"

"Of course. We could … I'm sure it will be great!" He finished, refraining himself from inviting them to a restaurant afterwards. He himself was on a restrictive diet, and there was no point in taking Grace out if she couldn't enjoy the good food.

Another silence fell between them, and Christian estimated it was time for him to leave. He still had to wake up early tomorrow for a video call with Mr Cho, and he was pretty sure that Ana wanted to sleep. Or at the very least, it showed that she should.

So, he got up, voicing his intentions, and Ana walked him out to the door. A wild thought came to him to ask for them to sleep together, just like they used to, just so the two of them could have a peaceful rest. But he knew it was an impossible idea.

As he followed her to her front door, he apologised, "I'm sorry for showing up unannounced, by the way. I should have at least called, or texted."

She shook her head, refusing his words. "I told you, Christian, I won't stop you from seeing your daughter."

He looked at her, _really_ looked at her. She had lost weight since her birthday, and her face showed even more worry than when she had come to talk to him. He even wondered if she had a single proper night of sleep since she had found out about Grace's failing liver.

And a part of him wondered if this was the reason why he hadn't been able to sleep or work properly either. Maybe subconsciously he had been worried about his daughter and how her days could be numbered. Maybe there was a part of him that had cared about Grace since she was born, he just didn't know how to interpret the signs.

But as he lifted Ana's chin with his finger, he did not mention his own worry, nor the obvious fact that she was worrying herself. No, he told her what she, and he, wanted to hear,

"Ana … She's going to get through this. We didn't make a weak baby."

And for the first time since she came back into his life, Ana gave him a true genuine smile. One that came from her heart and that showed that his words had touched her deep in her heart.

"No, you're right. She is as strong-willed as the two of us put together."

Christian returned her smile, letting out a small chuckle before kissing her forehead on an impulse. It was nothing calculated, just a natural gesture, and when she didn't push him away, he held her a bit closer to him, inhaling that scent he loved so much.

He had no idea how long they stayed like this, but he knew he was the one to break it off before he walked away, back to his hotel room.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Over the week that followed, Christian went back to Ana's every single night for dinner. Ana never said a thing about it, and he even had a couple of nights when she gave him leftovers for him to eat at lunch the next day. But the main reason why he took three hours a day of his precious time to spend with the Steeles was Grace.

And it worked. Sure, he was still _Mr Christian_, even though he had told the girl a couple of times that there was no need to call him mister. But he could see the relationship that he was developing with his daughter. Grace was a very curious child. And it seemed that everything that she was told, she remembered. She had the cutest facial expression when she was learning a new word, furrowing her brows, pouting her lips and scrunching her nose as she repeated the new word.

But the thing they were bonding over the most was France and Grace's interest in the country and the culture. Christian was surprised to discover that Grace already knew that France used to have kings and queens and that French people _'cut their heads off for being big meanies_.' Every single day, she would question him over dinner about all he knew about the country, and most importantly, she would try to learn French words from him.

There was always a moment during dinner when Ana disappeared, leaving the two of them together, Christian teaching and Grace learning French words, and once again he was surprised at the speed at which she learned. His French was basic and business orientated, and he was sure that in barely six months she would speak as well as he did, if not better.

During those evenings, he also spent time with Ana when Grace was in bed, though their conversations were mostly about his family and her friends. It seemed that neither of them was ready to revisit their conversation about the past, and Ana always avoided any conversation about the future.

That's how he learned that he was right and that Grams was indeed Mary. Apparently, Mary often went to see Grace, when they were in London and spoiled the girl as any grandmother would. Just the same way Christian had no doubt his parents would do as soon as Grace knew about who he really was.

He also learned that Izzy had moved to Canada a year after Ana went to London and that she had found a companion there who had three kids of his own. The whole family was coming down for Thanksgiving in LA to spend it with the girls and Mary's family.

Ana never mentioned his family on her own, either, which he found odd since she had seen his parents and his brother since coming back in his life. She was happy to learn that he had gotten closer to his nephews, and even agreed to a couple of games (she even laughed when he mentioned how boring and terrible it had been).

And those were the moments Christian liked the most with Ana. When for a brief second, she forgot about being a Mom and was just herself. This usually happened when they talked about work. She never explained to him why she didn't pursue her initial dream, but she told him that she was now working for Raymond and that with the present situation she was mostly reviewing cases for him so she could work from home and be with Grace as much as she could.

The couple of times Christian talked to Raymond over the phone, his lawyer did not talk about Ana, but given the fact that Raymond never mentioned a thing about Ana during the separation, Christian assumed it was a force of habit. Not that he minded. He still hadn't told anyone but his lawyer, who he was now ignoring, the whole truth of the situation.

In fact, he still hadn't contacted his family since their discussions. And he knew better than anyone that he was in need of their advice. When Christian went over for dinner for a second time, he still had no idea of what to bring. She already had stuffed animals, she already had puzzles and colouring books, and he had no idea what one bought to a kid to make them happy.

When he had wanted to spoil his nephews, he had always asked them what they wanted. In general, he had always been bad at surprising people with gifts. Elliott, or his mother, would be perfect to help him choose something, but his ego got in the way. He didn't want to call them to tell them he had been in the wrong.

So he showed up empty ended, feeling beyond guilty. Ana had assured him that he didn't need to buy her anything, and his guilt was slightly appeased when Andrew also showed up without gifts.

And yes, _perfect British and proper Andrew_ showed up twice over the week to spend time with _Christian's_ daughter. And Grace would jump up into his arms and ask him to read her a bedtime story, but she never asked Christian to do so. And Ana would make jokes about those moments the two of them had shared in London. _Andrew_ was _so_ perfect that he even did the dishes and cooked by the looks of it. _Of course, he did_.

And to make him even more perfect, he always made sure to include Christian in his conversations with Grace. And the nicer Andrew was, the more Christian disliked him. All he could see was the fact that this _perfect man_ was just waiting for his perfect opportunity to make a move on Ana and take her back to the country of never-ending rain, with _his_ daughter.

Andrew worked for the British government and he had been relocated to the British embassy in New York, which meant that he was here for at least a couple of years, if not longer. And Christian knew he would have to suffer his presence since Ana and Grace both treated him like family.

In all fairness, Christian had no actual reason to dislike Andrew, other than his existence. No matter how many times Ana would claim it, Christian could see very clearly who _Andrew_ was. He was a replacement. He was the person she would have ultimately fallen in love with if she hadn't come back in Christian's life. He was the person Grace would have one day called daddy.

Andrew thankfully was not a part of the plans when they went to the movies with Karl and Jose. Christian was driving the Range Rover he had just purchased. He could have asked Sawyer to drive him and the girls to the movies, but he was sure that Ana wouldn't appreciate having a driver during something that was supposed to be a family outing. Even if the official label still wasn't there.

Grace was all excited in the back of the car, saying that she liked the car, and that she liked being able to see the world, but no one could see her. And as she demonstrated for yet another time how cool it was to see without being seen, Christian let Ana know,

"It is yours, by the way. I've put it in your name."

"Christian, I — "

"Well, it is Grace's. But she can't drive it now."

"And neither can I."

He repressed a sigh, keeping his eyes on the road, as he reminded her, "Ana … this is a safe car, and I'm sure you want Grace to — "

"I'm not disputing the safety of the car, Christian. I just can't drive."

"What? But … how come?"

_Everyone_ knew how to drive; it was a skill you picked up as a teenager. How could Ana know how to be a perfect and stealthy pickpocket, but not how to drive? In fact, Christian had always wanted to give her a car, something sportier than the Rover he was driving of course, but he never did because she had always been so self-conscious about the money he would spend on her.

And though he appreciated this quality about her, because it made him feel like she enjoyed his company more than his money, it also annoyed the hell out of him. He didn't like restraining himself when he wanted to make someone happy. Especially when this someone was the woman he loved.

"I never learned so never got a licence. I've been living in New York most of my life. And London after that. There wasn't and isn't any point for me to drive and add the bills that a car would bring, when I live somewhere with public transport. Plus, walking is good for your health, you know," she added with a joking tone, and he couldn't help the small smile from spreading his lips.

Over the past week, in addition to spending time with her every day, they also sent texts to one another quite often. Many of them were from Ana sending a picture of Grace throughout the day, or a little message about something that Grace would say. But most importantly, they would text one another well into the night.

Because he was spending time with the girls, Christian had reduced his sleeping hours, working more when he got back to his hotel room. But he also dreaded sleep. His nights were still restless, with him wondering what would happen if the worst was to come. Would he be able to cope with the fact that he wouldn't see Grace and her cute little face every single day? And it would all be his fault. Because if he hadn't drunk on that night, they could have had the operation earlier. Ana would rightfully blame him, but it would be nothing compared to the guilt he would be feeling.

Every night, he would lay in bed, thinking of those terrible outcomes, and Ana's texts were a welcome distraction. Even though he knew she was awake for the exact same reasons, they never talked about it. Their nightly texts were more about themselves. Of course, the banter they used to have, full of sexual innuendos was nowhere to be seen, but often, they brought a smile on Christian's face and that was all he could ask for now.

When they got to the movies, Jose and Karl were already there, waiting for them. Grace jumped in her godfather's arms eager to tell him how she finished her puzzle and how happy she was to see the new movie with Toothless in it. Christian noticed that, like she often did with Ana, Grace easily switched to Spanish to talk to the Hispanic man.

The movie wasn't even half-boring as Christian had expected. It was rather entertaining, even for him as an adult. Though Ana was between Grace and himself, her reactions were still cute to observe. She clearly marvelled at the apparition of the white dragon and felt every emotion the characters felt in the movie.

But Christian had to admit that, at some point in the movie, his focus shifted to Ana and how her hand was mere centimetres away from his, so easy to grab and they could lock fingers. He had a flashback of his teenage days, the first time he brought a girl to the movies. His heart was pounding on whether he should reach out for her hand. Which was the most ridiculous thing that had happened in his adult life.

So, he mentally pep-talked himself into growing some balls and gently took her hand in his. Nothing too obvious, so she could still pull her hand back without them feeling too awkward about it, but she didn't. She let him intertwine their fingers as his thumb gently caressed her skin.

When the movie ended, Grace was over the moon. She kept on saying how happy and sad she was for Toothless, and how the two dragons reminded her of the Yin-Yang necklace of her mommy. They were still exiting the theatre when Ana received a call, excusing herself for a moment, and so they waited in the lobby.

Grace was still animatedly talking about the movie and all the emotions it brought to her when she suddenly stopped talking, looking at the counter with wonder sparkling her beautiful blue eyes. Christian followed her gaze and saw stuffed dragons like the one she already had, except these ones were white. He looked back at Grace who was still looking at the toys, and impulsively asked, "Do you want one?"

She vigorously shook her head, looking away and taking Jose's hand as she pretended to be disinterested. "No, it's okay. I have Toothless at home."

Christian repressed a chuckle and turned to the counter, ignoring the way Jose was looking at him. Ana's friend had barely exchanged a word with him since the hospital, but Christian couldn't read him well enough to tell if it was because of his absence in Grace's life, or because of what happened between him and Ana.

He bought the white toy and crouched to present it to his daughter, feeling his heart swell with warmth as he told her, "You just saw a whole movie how it was not good to keep Toothless alone. Now, he will have a companion, just like in the movie."

For a long moment, Grace looked at the fluffy toy, with a mix of desire and apprehension, before she looked up to Jose, as if asking for his opinion, and her Godfather smiled, pushing her to take the toy. She screeched with joy, and took the dragon in her hands, saying excitedly,

"Thank you, Mr Christian."

Then she kissed his cheek and rushed to her mother who was still on the phone. Christian got back up, his heart feeling like it was about to explode. Sure, he was still Mr Christian, but he had earned a kiss, and that was worth all the stuffed toys in the world.

Jose analysed him, before letting him know, "She hesitated because usually, only her 'Daddy' buys her stuffed animals."

"What?" This made no sense. He had seen the many stuffed toys she had on her hospital bed, and he would have recalled sending her any of them. And Ana had made a point on telling him that Andrew would never be able to replace him as Grace's father.

"'Daddy' has sent a teddy bear for every big moment of Grace's life. Birthdays, Christmases, travels, illnesses. That's why she had the toys when you came to the hospital, so she would feel like her Daddy was there with her. And Toothless came when she got out of the hospital."

Christian finally understood why Andrew had looked at him funny when Grace presented him her new toy. He knew about the connection in Grace's heart between the toys and her Daddy's love. He recalled how Ana had written to him that all she wanted was for him to show up with a teddy bear, and how she once again told him that he should have brought a toy, instead of a necklace.

"I know what happens between you and Ana is just for you two to know. But Grace has put her Daddy on a very high pedestal. Think superhero. And you have big shoes to fill."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The next day, Christian spent the whole day with Ana and Grace. Grace had invited him for lunch, which filled Christian's heart with warmth, even after Ana had explained that it was a strategy from the little girl. Since Sundays were lasagna nights, she wanted to fill his stomach at lunch, so he wouldn't eat too much lasagna for dinner.

Lunch went rather smoothly, and when Grace left for a nap, Ana and Christian found themselves alone once again. Ana proposed some cookies, and of course, Christian did not oppose the idea, always too eager to have something baked by Ana. It was only when she was looking for the ingredients that she realised that she was out of chocolate.

So, she asked Christian if he didn't mind staying in, whilst she would rush to the store, and buy some chocolate. Of course, Christian dismissed her concern and sat in the living room, going over his emails on his phone whilst waiting for Ana. He arranged his upcoming weeks, glad that Andrea managed to reorganise everything around the surgery.

He had to admit that he was now more focused at work, but he also relied a bit more on Ros. There had been a couple of business trips that she had to cover for him, and he was almost tempted to get her to cover the one he had at the end of August. But this was a contract he had taken care of from start to finish and he didn't feel comfortable letting her finalise it.

In all fairness, the surgery was in ten days, which gave him a couple of weeks to recover. But the reason he was contemplating asking Ros to cover had nothing to do with health and everything to do with Grace. That was why he had thought of several things he would have to talk to Ana about when she got back.

He was stirred out of his thoughts by noises coming from the bathroom, and he got up to check it out. The little girl was sleepily scratching her eyes after having used the loo, and she looked at him with half-opened eyes, saying, "I finished sleeping."

Christian chuckled, thinking to himself that she was clearly still sleepy, but he still took her hand so they could get back to the living room. But there, Grace's sleepiness completely disappeared as she frantically looked everywhere, snatching her hand away from Christian and running throughout the apartment and crying out, "Mama, where are you?!"

When she got back to the living room and had to come to the conclusion that it was just her and Christian, she burst into tears, running to the front door and crying out for her mother. No matter what Christian could say, she wouldn't listen, even screaming when he would reach for her. She kept on banging on the door, saying repeatedly, "Mama, vuelve! Please come back!"

Christian was at a loss, unsure of what to do, and it was a relief when Ana came back, her arms heavy with groceries. She put the bags down and took her daughter in her arms, whispering reassuring words in her ear as Grace cried in her arms. Christian took the bags and brought them to the kitchen before he found refuge in the bathroom.

He hated it. He hated that his own kid couldn't bear the thought of being alone with him. He was sure that she wouldn't have cried if it had been Andrew. He had no idea how long he stayed there, trying to ease his anger mixed with hurt when a slight knock echoed. He composed himself and opened the door.

Ana looked at him, and stepped in the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

"She's on the phone with Mary. Do you want to talk about it?"

"No. I get it. I'm still a stranger."

She raised her hand to his cheek, and the anger that had been slipping through his voice disappeared. "It's not just that, she has never woken up and not found me there. We've always been together. This has never happened to her before."

"I get it," he repeated, feeling that it was his fault if his daughter didn't feel comfortable enough around him. If he had opened the letter and reached out sooner, this would have never happened.

With a knowing smile, Ana tiptoed herself and forced him into a comforting hug, reassuring him as she promised, "She'll warm up to you. Just give her time."

Christian returned the embrace, inhaling her scent deeply, and though this moment was about Grace, his hormones made him say, "I hope that in time, you, too, will warm up to me."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The rest of the day happened without any other incident, and Grace didn't seem to hold any sort of grudge against Christian. Unlike him, her meltdown didn't affect her mood, and all was resolved now that Ana was back. They had their lasagna and Christian made a point of asking for a smaller portion, just so Grace's little plan could be proven true, and she would ask for him to come more often.

When it came time for Grace to go to bed, she made her mother promise not to disappear in the middle of the night and asked for a longer hug. Christian waited in the living room, wondering when Grace would feel comfortable enough with him to ask _him_ for bedtime stories and kisses. He kept fantasising about the moment when Grace would finally call him Daddy.

He and Ana had talked about it, and they had agreed to only tell Grace when she would be allowed to leave the hospital, after the surgery. But Ana had been very adamant that Christian was in no way allowed to force their child to call him Daddy. It was something that should come naturally from Grace. Christian agreed, albeit grudgingly.

When Ana came back to the living room, she proposed for them to have some tea together in the kitchen. Christian followed, but what he wasn't expecting was for her to produce documents and slide them in his direction.

He took them in hands and saw that they were statements saying that he was releasing custody of their daughter to her. He read every single line, from him releasing custody of his child, to Ana not contacting anyone about Grace's parentage, to him paying up everything he had missed, and forward. And when he saw in the end that the documents had been made by his very own lawyer, he knew who he was probably going to kill as soon as he would get back to Seattle.

"I contacted your lawyer when you went to Dubai and gave him all the documents and proof he needed. He just sent this to me. The only thing missing is your signature."

"I'm not signing this," he said in a cold voice, putting the papers back on the table, glaring at them. "I'm _not_ giving you full custody, Ana."

"You promised! You said you wouldn't fight me for her!" Ana said with emotion in her voice, and Christian shook his head, resting his hand on hers as he reminded,

"And I won't. You have my word. But … you kept on saying that you wouldn't stop me from being in her life. I _told_ you that I _want_ to be in her life. And … you have no idea how much it kills me to see her so happy with Andrew, and calling him his name when she cries when she's with me and calls me _mister_. You have no idea how much I dread the aftermath of the surgery and when I won't get to see her every day. You have no idea of what I would give to be allowed to kiss her goodnight.

I won't take Grace from you, but Ana, I won't allow you to take her away from me, either."

Ana shook her head, looking at the document, "It's not what I meant."

"But it's what the documents say."

She gathered the papers in her hands, still looking down, before fixing her blue eyes onto his grey ones, making him feel like he was under oath.

"In that case, I want you to make a promise. If we ever decide to share custody, it won't go ugly. We will do it between the two of us and decide what will be best for Grace. It won't be about hurting the other, but about what's best for our child."

"I promise."

"Good," she said, getting up and putting the offending document aside. "Do you want me to make a contract for us to s— "

He didn't let her finish, already up and spinning her to force her to look at him. He held her chin with his fingers and told her,

"I know my word has very little value for you, now. But if there is _one time_ you should have faith in it, it's now. Grace will come first. No matter what happens between us, I won't attack you with a hoard of lawyers. It will always be about her first."

He held her gaze, so she could see the sincerity behind his words, and he added with a chuckle, "My family wouldn't allow it, anyway."

She smiled, though Christian could tell it had very little to do with his joke. And though she didn't expand on it, he could see why she was so happy. It was the first time he was so clearly expressing to her that he wanted to be in Grace's life and that she mattered to him.

His eyes drifted to her lips, forgetting about her smile, and only seeing how luscious they were, and before he could gather the courage to lean in and kiss her, she cleared her throat and regained her personal space.

So, he did the same, took an iPad out of his bag and handed it to her, explaining, "I have this meeting in Singapore a couple of weeks after the surgery. I … I don't know. I just thought I could FaceTime her and wish her good night like I'm doing now. Even if it's just for a minute."

"That is very thoughtful," she agreed, and he felt encouraged by the warmth of her voice to go on,

"I also bought a place in New York. I know you used to say it was useless, and at the time, you were right, but I don't want to have Grace visit me in a hotel room. In all honesty, when I had Andrea looking for the place, I wanted to buy the place for you, but I knew you'd blow me off."

"You want Grace to visit you?"

"Yeah … after we tell her, of course. She could even … you know, spend the night, when she gets to know me better."

Ana roared in laughter, and when she calmed down, she hiccupped, "You're going to _cook_?"

"No. I'm going to buy food and heat it up. I don't want to poison the poor child. But … I don't know … I …"

She smiled at him, putting her hand on his, and she said with her sweet voice, "I think it's a great idea."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The night before the operation, Christian kept on tossing and turning in his bed. He had some troubles adjusting to the new bed and hated how his new penthouse felt so empty. At least in Seattle he had the Taylors living with him, and Esclava was a hotel.

Andrea had found the perfect penthouse for him, which had a beautiful view. It had a master bedroom, and two smaller ones, but he had asked Andrea to find a decorator to transform one of the guest rooms into a child's room. Dragons were obviously the theme he went with.

He had to admit that he admired Andrea's efficacy now more than ever. She managed to keep his schedule clear and balanced and do all those extra things for him, even from a distance. And without ever whining about it or telling anyone about the new person in his life. In truth, Ros still didn't know, but he was set on telling her when he got back to Seattle, just so she could understand why he relied so much more on her lately.

After switching sides in the bed yet again, he frustratedly got out of bed, and went to grab a glass of water, looking at New York by night. Then he passed by Grace's room, and sent a picture to Ana, just so she could see the room. Not even a minute later, Ana was calling, and he sat on Grace's bed, picturing when his daughter would be there as he picked up.

"She'll love it. Especially the little sofa by the bookshelves. How am I supposed to compete with that?" Christian smiled with pride because the sofa was the only thing in the room he had picked up on his own. It was shaped as Toothless, and he immediately thought of his daughter when he saw it.

"Maybe she'll convince you to stay at my place, indefinitely? I promise I won't mind."

She chuckled, and a silence grew between them, as he laid on the bed, looking at the star-filled ceiling. He waited for a moment, before telling her,

"I know I shouldn't tell you, but … I'm anxious. I keep on thinking of everything that could go wrong. I just … I just want her to be okay."

"All will be well, Christian."

He shook his head in disagreement, "It should be the other way around. _I _should be the one telling you this and reassuring you."

"You're the one who's going under the scalpel," she reminded him, and he frowned slightly. He never really thought of that. Even when the doctor had told him all the statistics in favour of the surgery and explained that the scar would be very minuscule. He never actually thought of the surgery, but more that he was helping someone in need. And even though it took him time, it became even more important since he was helping _his own daughter_.

He closed his eyes, thinking that giving a part of his liver was very little compared to all that Ana had done for their child. _Like giving birth to her_.

"You know, I never asked … about the day she was born…"

There was a small silence, before Ana said with a small voice, "I think it's a conversation we should keep for some other time. I definitely need alcohol for this conversation."

"Ana ..."

"I'm not saying no, Christian. it's just … I was in a weird state of mind, even for the few months that followed, and I don't want to think about it, now."

"Okay," was all he said, a part of his brain reminding him what his father had told him about women suffering depression after a cryptic pregnancy.

"By the way, in case something goes wrong, Grace and you inherit of all my assets."

He had called his lawyer after the custody conversation with Ana, and after a lot of shouting from Christian's part, he updated his will. Ros still inherited half of the company, and the rest was going to Elliott. His international businesses were for his parents, and now, all his financial assets were for Grace and Ana. If anything happened, at least he knew they were covered, and he highly doubted his family would contest the will.

"Christian… this is fear talking. Everything is going to go well, don't freak out."

"No. I … maybe you're right. And if it's the case, I just want you to know that I love you. Maybe not in the way you want, probably not in the way you deserve, but I do love you. And I'd give everything I own to see that twinkle in your eyes spark again. The one I fell in love with."

He closed his eyes, feeling lighter, and smiled when Ana said what any sane person would say, "You're going to make it, Christian. Stop making deathbed declarations."

But that didn't stop him from continuing, "And … I'm discovering a whole new you that I see myself falling in love with."

"And you'll tell me all about it some other day, not because you're freaking out. You're going to be fine, don't let fear get to your head."

He nodded, smiling like an idiot. Though he knew that she was right and that he shouldn't declare his love at such a time, he couldn't help but notice that she didn't reject him. In fact, she even said that they would have this very conversation on some other day. Life was starting to turn out alright.

"Can I ask just one thing, then?"

She chuckled, and he put the phone on the pillow next to him, putting it on speaker, "Would you have come to see me if it wasn't for my liver?"

"Mmm … I don't know. I probably would have contacted you to let you know that your child was sick, but I don't think I would have come to see you. I would have stayed by Grace's side."

He nodded; his eyes closed as he was starting to feel increasingly comfortable in his daughter's bed. "Can I ask another one? Did you really hate me?"

"Not really. There was a lot of resentment, which became even worse when you didn't reply to the letter. And … there was also the fact that I was feeling …" She breathed deeply, and though she didn't say it, he could tell that he had hurt her a lot. It was more than her ego; it was her dignity and her self-worth.

"Anyway, I never actually hated you, Christian."

"One last question."

She laughed, saying under her breath, "You're worse than a child." And he gathered the courage to ask the question that had been in his mind since she had come back into his life

"Do you see a future for us?"

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, well, so much has happened in this chapter. **

**1\. Which part made you feel the most? I think mine is when Grace lost it when she realised she was alone with Christian. **

**2\. How do you feel about Grace receding stuffed toys only from her 'Daddy'? And that little line thrown by Jose?**

**3\. How do you feel about Ana now? I know, it was cold of her to bring the documents, but remember that she entered in contact with Christian's lawyer when Christian left for Dubai, after having clearly shown he had no interest in Grace. **

**4\. Do you think there is a chance for them two, with Christian being much more open about his feelings this time around?**

**‼️5. CAN ANYONE GUESS ANDREW'S STORY? IF YOU CAN, YOU WILL GET A SNEAK PEEK OF THE NEXT CHAPTER ^^ ‼️**

**6\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? Mine was when Christian kissed Ana's forehead when they parted, and those five seconds before that. Because Ana finally smiled to him.**

**7\. And what do you think will happen next?**

💚** Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	8. Chapter 7: Yellow Daffodil & Citrine

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

💚** Nope, you're not dreaming, already a new chapter out. I think I am spoiling you too much, and I should just make you wait a year or so for the next chapter XD **😈**. **

‼️**ABOUT THE REVIEWS**‼️

**1\. I am glad that everyone agrees to say that Henry Cavill is yummy and a good fit for Andrew. Because ... OBVIOUS REASONS! Once again, he is not gay, and nope he isn't related to anyone we know in this story …**

**2\. Some of you asked about Christian's family, well, here it is. Hihi. In this chapter.**

**3\. Now, about the cuteness of Grace, hihi. You don't know what she's about to do. Well, what she will do in a few chapters. Hope you're ready. **

**4\. About her breaking down in tears. It is more than Christian. It is as Ana pointed out the fact that she never woke up to find her Mom missing. There have been a few hints about the relationship between Ana and Grace, in the way Grace talks about her Mom, and Christian will make it plain later in this chapter. And Grace SR even more in a few other chapters. **

**5\. About Ana, once again, I think it's getting more and more obvious where her heart lies and how she feels about Christian…**

‼️**DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW**‼️

**Love, Mina **💚💚💚

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy**💚

**Chapter 7: Yellow Daffodil & Citrine (5,5K)**

When Christian woke up after surgery, he was alone in the room. He glanced at the window and saw that the sun was bright outside, which made him wonder how long it had been since the surgery. Doctor Cohen had explained that after the two hours of pre-op, the surgery could last between six to ten hours between Grace and himself. He knew that he probably left the operating room before Grace, so she was likely still unconscious.

He tried to sit up, but his body was feeling completely numb, so he just laid there, trying not to focus on the fact that there was no one by his bedside. He reached for his phone, reasoning that Ana was probably by Grace's bed and that only she had known of the surgery.

As he was scrolling through his work emails, the door of his hospital room opened, and he turned his head just in time to see Ana enter. She looked different, more like the Ana he knew all those years ago. She was wearing the dress that she had worn on his birthday when they were in Hong Kong, her long chestnut hair cascading down her back, free just as he liked it, and her eyes sparkling with that little malice that made him look twice.

She smiled at him, making sure the door closed behind her before walking to his bed and putting on the bedside a small cupcake. He eyed the pastry, and asked with a bit of friendly cheek, "Is it because I've been a brave boy? Because I was expecting something bigger."

"Like what? A piece of the baker?" She retorted, sitting on the bed next to him, a small smirk spreading her lips whilst her beautiful blue eyes sparkled with lust.

Christian grimaced, grunting, "Don't tease, Ana. I can't do a thing right now, no matter how much I wish I could."

She leaned forward to kiss his neck, her voice sultrily whispering against his skin, "Who said anything about you doing anything? All you have to do is stay still and enjoy the ride."

She started kissing her way down, her hand already on his package and playing with his fully erected member. He closed his eyes, moaning when she lifted the hospital gown as his body felt like it had five years ago when Ana had literally taken his breath away.

"Christian …" she said, with a tone that felt a bit off for their situation, but he didn't really think about it, doing his best to not move as she finally took him in her mouth.

A guttural moan escaped from his throat, and he looked down, relishing the sight before him. She wickedly smiled, taking as much as she could in her mouth and his breath quickened as he brought his hand to her luxurious chestnut mane. She moaned, taking him even deeper in her mouth until he touched the back of her throat.

He cursed between his teeth, breathing increasingly heavier, and when he closed his eyes once more, moaning as he bit his lower lip, she said his name again, though her voice seemed strange. It wasn't her usual sweet voice; it was even deeper than the sultry tone she had used before. But he was too consumed by how good she made him feel to actively take notice of it. All he cared about at that moment was how good she made him feel, how he could easily explode if she kept at it …

_"Peanut!"_

Christian woke up with a start and the first thing he saw was not Ana in her red dress pleasuring him, but _Elliott_ sitting on a chair by his bed, smirking at him with an all-knowing smile. Christian passed a hand on his face, praying to all that was holy that he had not spoken whilst sleeping, and moodily asked, "What are you doing here?"

"You mean, other than witnessing you have a sex dream?"

"I was not having a_ sex dream_!" Christian lied, pretending to be obfuscated by the accusation. Elliott's smile grew even wider, and he glared at Christian's body, pointing out, "Yeah, sure. Tell that to the tent you've pitched."

Christian did not want to give him the satisfaction and refused to look down, perfectly aware that his erection was still present. He lifted his right leg, doing his best to keep to himself how painful that simple gesture was. Doctor Cohen had warned him that he might be in pain after the surgery, but he didn't imagine that simply lifting his leg would cause him so much suffering.

Ignoring his brother, he reached for his phone and checked the time. It had apparently flown while he had been out and it was the next evening after the surgery, and he had tons of emails and texts. He was surprised that he hadn't missed that many phone calls, but then he recalled that Andrea had told him that she would make sure he wouldn't have any phone conferences for a couple of days following his hospital stay.

As he scrolled through Ros's text messages, the latest ones showing that she was worried due to lack of response, he asked his brother once again, "What are you doing here?"

"Ana didn't tell you?" Christian shook his head, turning to look at his brother who had the decency to no longer smirk at him and the predicament he had been in a few moments ago.

Elliott sighed, passing his hand through his hair, and looking at his younger brother with a look of sympathy, mixed with apprehension.

"Both Dad and I volunteered to give parts of our livers to Grace since we all have the same blood type. I mean, you had screwed it up once already, and we weren't going to miss the chance to help save my niece.

But Ana said it would be wrong of us to rob you of the opportunity to do the right thing for your kid, so we just stood by and waited. If you had screwed up again, both Dad and I were on a diet, and in good enough health to do the surgery without any delay."

Christian looked back at his phone, even though the screen had turned black, as he understood that Ana had never really trusted him. And in all honesty, he couldn't blame her. Not even a few hours after he had told her he would give their child a part of his liver as soon as possible, not even a few hours after the doctor said they could have an early surgery because he had been sober for a month, he had drowned his sorrows in whiskey.

And as if he heard his thoughts, Elliott said what his heart didn't want to hear.

"Yes, she spared you from knowing that Dad and I are better human beings than you are. But I'm not Ana, I won't be that nice. Especially when I know that, if you would have read her letter all those years ago, you would have sent a big fat check along with your lawyer to make sure she would keep quiet."

"You don't know that."

"I do. Someone who calls their lawyer as soon as he finds out he has a kid, and not his family, isn't someone who would welcome a new member in their family. You do know her name, though, right? I mean, did you even bother looking at the pictures?"

Christian clenched his jaw, a part of him wanting nothing more than to shut his brother up. He already knew that he was a terrible father and didn't need _Elliott_ of all people to remind him. Elliott was the perfect father, the one who adopted a kid that wasn't his and loved him as his own. The one who had done his best to work from home to be closer to his kids when their mom had died, the one who would play silly games with his kids just to make them happy.

Christian was the father who had achieved his kid crying her heart out when she had been alone with him. He was the screwed father whose daughter didn't even know who he was, and who couldn't even tell a stupid bedtime story to his own child.

He was saved from saying anything by the nurse coming in, all smiles as he asked how he was doing. Elliott left the room as the male nurse checked his bandage, Christian grateful that his erection was long gone. It would have been embarrassing with a female nurse, but with a male nurse, it would have been downright mortifying.

The nurse helped him go to the loo, his greatest embarrassment to date, and then helped him sit on the bed, making sure that his bandages were still intact. He left, saying that he would alert the doctor and the 'pretty brunette' who had visited whilst he was still sleeping, that he was awake.

As soon as the nurse was gone, Elliott came back in the room, accompanied by their father, who was looking at him with the same air of disappointment as when they had last seen each other. There was a small silence before Christian said, half muttering to himself, "I know I'm far from being the best Dad out there, Elliott. And I know I should have stepped up earlier, and just read the letter. But what's done is done. All I can do now is do my best to deserve Grace."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Carrick imperially asked, making Christian feel like he was a kid again.

Whilst growing up, it had never been a wonder that Grace Sr had the power in the family. She was the one Christian and Elliott feared the most. But there had still been those couple of times where Carrick had been much scarier than his wife, and it had scarred both boys for life. They knew not to push their father too far.

"I'm working on it, Dad. It's not as if being a father came with a handbook."

"Yeah, God forbid you ever ask help from anyone."

Christian repressed himself from rolling his eyes, knowing that he would only get a lecture out of it, but that did not spare him from the lecture his father intended to give him anyway,

"You do realise that you have a family by your side who would love nothing more but to help you. You're the one who thinks that you must do everything on your own and the one who is distancing himself from us. Ever since you learned about your daughter, you haven't contacted us even once.

Your mother is beside herself, sure that she missed something in your upbringing for you to have become so asocial. She doesn't understand why you think you shouldn't rely on any one of us when times get tough for you. To be fair, none of us does. Is it so hard for you to ask for help?"

Christian didn't answer because truth be told, he knew the only reason he didn't ask for help was because of his ego. He didn't want to admit to his family that he had screwed up and that he had been wrong. It was easy admitting it to Ana because she never knew to expect better from him, and she was the kind of person who always tried to make others feel better, even when they didn't particularly deserve it.

"I think you should wait for him to get back on his feet before making him feel like the worst person on the planet, Dad. I've always been told that it's not nice to hit someone when they're down," Elliott intervened, and Carrick heaved, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry, son. I just don't understand why you didn't try to contact any of us. You're not alone, and if you'd come home more often, maybe you would realise you never have been."

Christian grumbled something under his breath that sounded like 'I know, dad,' hating feeling like a little kid again, being scolded by his father. Carrick patted his shoulder, before saying that he needed some coffee, and he left the two brothers alone once again. Christian glanced at Elliott, who was looking at him the same way he often did when Ana was around, and he told him,

"You know, I think she still loves you. I mean, you clearly don't deserve it, and she could do so much better than you, but … When I went to visit her, she put all the blame on herself, and according to Mom, she did the same when they went to visit her. And, there is the fact that she didn't tell you about dad and I being her backups, just to protect your precious ego. And …"

He stopped himself, and though he didn't mention anything of it, Christian knew that Ana had told his brother something about him that he was not meant to share.

"Anyway, Dad is just pissed because he's always wanted a girl, and now, he has to wait. When Mom and Dad came to New York, they couldn't meet Grace, because she doesn't know about you. I only lucked into seeing her. She's quite cute, very clever if you ask me. My kids weren't that bright at her age."

The two men chuckled, and Christian asked, "Where is Mom? I figured she would have been the first one to rain one down on me."

"She's in Sydney with the boys. I didn't want them to miss their yearly visit to their grandparents, but… I wanted to be here as well, just in case. You know, even for you, if something went wrong. I asked Mom if she minded, and the boys were thrilled. I mean, two grams at the same time, it's guaranteed they will come back rotten to the core."

Elliott rolled his eyes as Christian retook possession of his phone, letting Ros know that he was okay and that he was going to contact her first thing in the morning.

"Just a fair warning, your nephews are not impressed by you, at all."

"You told your kids?!"

"Well, I had to explain to them why I wasn't coming this year. Julian didn't say much, but I think it's because he's entering adolescence and he's training to become a moody teenager. Jason on the other hand … he can't stop talking about Grace. He's never met her and only saw the pictures Ana gave to the folks, but he just doesn't shut up.

He says he'll be like a big brother, and he'll protect her, and teach her cool tricks. But as I said, your kid is bright, I feel she might teach things to _my_ kids. Ha-ha. All of this to say, I think Jason is quite excited to no longer be the baby of the family."

"Aren't we getting a bit ahead of ourselves? I mean, she still doesn't know who I am."

"Yeah, but Ana said you guys were telling her when she gets out of the hospital. You do intend on staying in their lives, right?"

"Of course. If I had my way, they would move in with me, and we'd be a family already, but Ana seems to think that I'll flee at the first hiccup."

Elliott gave him a look, and Christian knew that he deserved it. He scrolled through his emails, looking for any coming from Andrea, just so he could avoid his brother's intense eyes, and admitted, "I just don't think you should get your kids all excited when my own kid still calls me Mr Christian."

Elliott roared in unapologetic laughter and Christian glared at him, highly tempted to shut him up by throwing something at him. Luckily for Elliott, the only thing he could throw was his phone, and Christian didn't think that shutting up his brother was worth breaking his phone.

Still, he found himself confiding about that thing that still affected him, even ten days later. "When it was just the two of us, she woke up and cried. Wouldn't stop crying, whatever I tried. She was inconsolable and the very idea of me trying to comfort her made her cry even harder. Ana was running an errand and said that it was because they had never been apart like that."

This stopped Elliott's laughter quite effectively, and his brother looked at Christian with empathy in his eyes. He scratched the back of his neck, clearly feeling bad for the copper-haired man. Though he had deeply appreciated Ana coming to his side and comforting him, he doubted that she would ever understand how he felt at that moment. It was more than helplessness, it was guilt. Had he been there from the start, she would have never reacted like that.

"Christian … Not every family is perfect from the start. Mine wasn't and still isn't. It is only up to you to make the most of what you have. Give her time, be there for her, and she will warm up to you. Kids have this faculty of getting attached quite easily."

Christian didn't get the chance to respond, as someone gently knocked at the door, and Christian knew it was Ana before the door had opened. She had always had this way of knocking ever so slightly as if she was using her nails to gently drum the door.

Elliott got up and opened the door, immediately turning his head to wiggle his eyebrows at Christian to remind him that he had just had a sex dream. Christian ignored him, his eyes solely focused on Ana, though he took notice of his father behind her.

In just one look he could tell she was different, and the question that had burned on his lips since he had woken, that neither his father nor brother seemed to understand he wanted an answer to, was finally answered. Grace was okay. It was as if an invisible burden had lifted off Ana's shoulders.

"We should get going, Elliott. We'll drop by tomorrow, Christian. Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm good."

"He already had all the sweet stuff he needed before the nurse got here," Elliott mischievously said, reigniting a furious desire in Christian to throw something at him.

The two men left, and Ana served Christian a glass of water letting him know, "She's been awake for quite a while, I guess her system is faster than yours. She's actually been asking for you."

"She's okay," he said in a breath, relieved to hear it said out loud.

Ana smiled, her whole face lighting up, just like it did the first night he had dinner with them. "Jacob is rather positive. Of course, he said there is still the risk of rejection, but he says that it's rather rare when the donor is immediate family."

He took the glass of water from her, but when she started walking away, he grabbed her hand and made her sit on the bed by his side. She didn't try to remove her hand, and after a few seconds of silence, she said the most ridiculous thing.

"Thank you, Christian. For saving my baby …"

"She's my kid too, Ana. Why are you thanking me?"

"Because you flew all the way here, without even knowing that she was your daughter."

"That… was for selfish reasons," he admitted, sipping on the water to avoid her eyes. She gently squeezed his hand, and he asked, "So, you and Doctor Cohen are on first-name basis?" He knew that the doctor's first name was Jacob, but that was because it was all over the paperwork. Ana rolled her eyes, probably because she heard the hint of jealousy in his voice, and she reminded him of something Andrea had already told him.

"Jacob married Ann's only granddaughter. He just doesn't want to advertise that we know each other because…. Well, he's not supposed to treat people he knows, right? But Grace and he already planned to have a challenge of who will eat the most marshmallows at Thanksgiving."

Christian nodded, though his thoughts lingered on Grace and how he wished he could spend Thanksgiving with her. He then recalled that it was a recent thing for the two girls to be living in the US.

"Is this going to be her first Thanksgiving?"

"Yes."

"I … I'd like to be there. If I can get this _one_ first, it would be … I don't know. I don't want to impose on your plans with your friends, but …"

He stopped himself, his answer shining bright in Ana's smile. It was intoxicating and contagious. But most of all, it was breathtaking. It was a new smile, one that he had never seen in their two years together, and yet, it was her most beautiful smile.

He took a deep breath and warned her, "You should stop smiling like that, or I'm going to have to kiss you."

A slight blush reddened her cheeks, and she pinched her lips together, obviously doing her best to stop smiling, and Christian did his best to not act on his words as their phone call echoed in his mind.

_"Do you see a future for us?"_

_There was a small silence, during which Christian had to check twice that the line was still active. He wondered if she had fallen asleep, before she finally said with a very calculated tone, "Christian … I … the only person I can think of is Grace."_

_"Why does she need to be excluded in this scenario? We could be a family. The three of us. We could give her a Daddy, and the apple pie life that goes with it. _**_I _**_could give _**_you_**_ the world I've always wanted to give you. We —"_

_"— We don't know what tomorrow is made of. As much as I want to believe you that you're going to step up, there is still this little voice in me that …" She stopped herself and took a deep breath. "This is not the right time to have this conversation."_

_"It's the perfect time. I'm laying my heart out on the pavement for you, please, for once do the same. Stop overthinking, and just feel the moment."_

_Once again, a small silence echoed, and the irony wasn't lost on Christian that he had said the same phrase as the one he uttered before they had made love. But what he focused on was the fact that he could hear Ana's breathing, and now, more than ever, he wished he was in front of her. He couldn't be sure, but he felt like she was crying, and yet, when she spoke, her voice didn't waver._

_"The thing is, Christian … no matter how I felt for you back then, I never felt like I was enough for you, or that I mattered that much. I always did my best to be by your side when you needed me, and it wasn't because of the contract, it was because you were my friend. I might have no family, but I like to think that my friends matter to me. _

_But the rare times I needed you, you weren't there. When Ann passed away, it was the first time I was experiencing loss, and I would have loved nothing but to have you by my side, but you brushed it off. When I ran my first marathon, you weren't by the finish line cheering me on. When we …" _

_She stopped herself once again, before breathing deeply and continuing, "The morning after my birthday, I was left with nothing but a note about contracts, and cash. _

_There is this part in me that wants to be carefree and fall back into your arms. And then there is my reason warning me that …"_

_"… That you can't let that happen to Grace," he finished for her. _

_He closed his eyes, throwing his arm over his forehead as he realised how much he had taken for granted. As she said, she had always been there for him, for the highs and the lows, he knew he could rely on her, but every time she had had a milestone in her life, negative or positive, he had just sent a check even though she had told him over and over again that his time was all that mattered to her. _

_In fact, if it hadn't been for her friend Jose, he never would have shown up to her birthday in Vegas. He would have asked Andrea to find a decent present and had it sent to her hotel room. _

_It was with a knot in his stomach that he realised that he might have already lost Ana. He swallowed with difficulty, shutting his eyes even tighter to prevent them from spilling the tears that were threatening to arrive, and he cleared his throat before saying, "I'm **so** sorry, Ana. I kept telling you that Henry didn't deserve you, but in the end, I was no better. I was so wrapped up in my world, and you were so easy to be with, that I forgot to make you feel special. You deserve so much better._

_But the truth is, you're right. I am a selfish bastard. And I won't give up on you. I made that mistake five years ago, and there isn't a single minute when I don't regret it. I lost you, I lost Grace before I even got the chance to know her. _

_Life gave me this second chance, and I am not going to waste it. I will get the both of you back, and I won't play fair."_

_He heard a small chuckle, and she retorted with that friendly banter that he missed so much, "As if you've ever played fair?"_

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The morning of the next day, Christian had to endure the shame once again of having the nurse (Brad) help him do the most basic things, though he did manage to use the loo on his own. As soon as the doctor gave him permission to move around, he asked to be taken to Grace's room, just so he could see for himself that she was feeling better.

Of course, he hadn't been expecting to find _Andrew_ in the room, conversing with Grace as she was explaining to him how brave she had been, and how she didn't cry when the doctor came in the morning to check her bandage. _Andrew_ praised the girl, before kissing her on the cheek and saying that he should get to work (which annoyed Christian, because what was he doing here, instead of being at work when it was already past ten.)

Ana walked him out, but Christian's annoyance was short-lived when Grace waved a piece of paper in his direction.

"I made this for you."

Christian took the paper, observing the peculiar drawing. There was a black dragon flying in the sky, throwing blue flames on many zoo animals and himself. But it could have been a drawing of him being stabbed, and he wouldn't have cared. All that mattered to him was the small writing at the bottom, stating,

**_Merci for making me better Christian. _**

It was such a simple thing, but the fact that she no longer felt like she needed to call him Mr Christian meant the world to him. He smiled, making a promise to himself that he would frame the drawing, and Grace explained, "My mommy said this is how you write 'merci'."

Christian cleared his throat his smile still ecstatic, and asked, "So, I'm a dragon trainer? That's cool. Hope I won't have to lose my leg, though."

"It's okay. You'll have a brave scar, like me." She proudly pointed at her stomach, where her bandages were hidden by her gown. "Jacob said that I'm going to have a scar, and he said it's going to show how brave I am."

"He is right. So brave, and so strong. Already drawing when you only woke up yesterday."

She smiled brightly, obviously feeling so proud, and it was at this moment that she looked the most like Ana. Sure, they didn't share many features, but that smile was Ana's.

"Are you going to have a brave scar too?"

"I think mine is going to be more of a devotion scar, but yes."

Grace furrowed her brows and Christian could see she was about to ask what devotion meant, but Ana came back in the room and Grace forgot all about Christian. She expectantly looked at her mother and when Ana sat on the bed by her side, she pouted and asked the question that tore Christian's heart.

"Did you get me a toy from Daddy?"

It was only then that Christian understood how deep the relationship between the two brunettes was. Every single time Grace had talked about her Mom to someone else, she always expressed how Ana was '_her mommy_.' And now, though she was expecting something from her father, he was only daddy. There was no connection between them. He didn't belong to her, because he had no place in her heart. The only connection she had to her father were the stuffed toys which she loved, but there was no real love for a father there since she had never seen a real person behind the word.

Ana briefly glanced at Christian, and kissed her daughter's cheek, letting her know, "Well, it was supposed to be a surprise. But he is going to give it to you himself when you get home."

"He's coming to see me?" Grace asked, looking astonished, and Ana smiled with love. "So, he's not too busy anymore?"

Once again, Ana briefly glanced at Christian, something so subtle that Grace couldn't catch on, but Christian still saw the doubt in her eyes. Despite all the promises he had made to her, she still doubted the fact that he would do right by them.

"Will you cook something nice for when he comes?"

"Of course, honey. What do you think I should make?"

Grace frowned, thinking of an answer, before she looked at Christian, and asked for his opinion, "What do you like to eat?"

"Your Mom," Christian immediately answered, earning a blush from Ana and a disappointed shake of the head from Grace who explained as if it was Christian who was the child, "You can't eat _people_, Christian. But you're a boy, you should know. What do boys like?"

"I meant to say, your Mom's lasagnas. They are very good, aren't they?"

Grace eagerly nodded, whilst Ana narrowed her eyes at Christian, and though she didn't say a thing, he knew she was trying to find a way to get back at him for his cheek. Of course, Grace was all focused on making her daddy's visit worthwhile for him and was barely paying attention to the two adults, while she kept on planning the perfect visit.

"Will you make lasagna, Mama? But a lot, because now I am better, and I can eat a lot. Jacob said so."

Ana chuckled, promising a large portion of lasagna, as she assured her daughter that her Daddy would love the idea of lasagna. Christian smiled, and just as he was about to take his phone out to snatch a picture of the two girls, Jose entered, with a bright smile.

"¿Dónde está mi chica favorita?" _(Where's my favourite girl?)_

"Tío Jose!" _(Uncle Jose!)_ Grace giggled, with obvious glee.

Jose made his way to the little girl, giving her a bear hug with a big kiss as he told her she was the bravest girl alive, and Christian estimated that it was his cue to leave. He still had a few phone calls to make, and work to do. But as he pitifully started rolling his way out, Jose interrupted him,

"I see you have your phone out. Did I interrupt a picture between the two survivors?"

Christian was about to protest, but Ana pushed his wheelchair by Grace's bed and gave Christian's phone to Jose. But just as she was about to walk out of frame, Christian grabbed her hand, silently telling her what the picture meant for the three of them. It was their first family picture. And Grace only encouraged her by saying,

"Christian is right, Mama. You're always pretty in photos."

The three of them looked at Jose, smiling with all their teeth, and all that mattered to Christian, at that moment was this picture that was being immortalised in time, this simple copy of the world as they lived it. This photograph would have Grace between him and Ana, with her arms around each of them, finally hugging him and calling him by his first name.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, since many thought that the last chapter was a cliffhanger … This one is definitely not! And if you think so, I am so sorry, but that's the way it is. Hihi. So much fluffiness involved. I should do something dramatic next. How about a death? (Don't mind me, I'm tired, haha) **

**1\. Did you really think the beginning of this chapter was real? **😈

**2\. How do you feel about Elliott and Carrick? And we're in the middle of July, that's why the boys are in Australia. **

**3\. How do you feel about that little moment they had all together, the three of them? And when Grace asked Christian what he wanted to eat … **

**4\. How do you feel about Ana, now? I'm always curious about that part, haha**

**5\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? Mine was when Christian woke up to his brother. Because I'm terrible like that. **

**6\. And what do you think will happen next? How do you think Grace will take the news?**

**‼️ By the way, I wrote a one-shot called Billy The Kid. Go check it out. It is something rather different from this story, that's for sure. And I also updated Second Chances as well. Been a busy bee, haha. ‼️**

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	9. Chapter 8: Iris

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

💚** Nope, you're not dreaming, already a new chapter out. I think I am spoiling you too much, and I should just make you wait a year or so for the next chapter XD **😈**. **

‼️**ABOUT THE REVIEWS**‼️

**1\. So I made a tiny mistake in the last chapter's note. We are in the middle of August, not July. **

**2\. And I know that it took me longer than usual, but I was a bit down last week, not much in the mood for writing. Hopefully, you won't have to wait that long for the next chapter.**

**3\. About the titles. So ... flowers are Grace, precious stones are Ana and Whiskeys are Christian. And just so you know, Irises are the flowers of hope ...**

‼️**DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW**‼️

**Love, Mina **💚💚💚

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy**💚

**Chapter 8: Iris (7,7K)**

In the two days that followed the surgery, Christian spent all his late afternoons and evenings in Grace's room, along with Ana. It was only the three of them since everyone who wanted to visit Grace did it in the morning. Mary came all the way from LA, Jose came every morning, Raymond and his wife also showed up, and obviously _Andrew_. Thankfully, Christian didn't have to suffer his annoying British ass, since he had work in the mornings.

He had a very unpleasant conversation with Ros who threatened to not keep him informed while he was in the hospital. She didn't appreciate not knowing exactly when he was getting his operation, invoking the notion of long-time partners and the fact that she had always had his back, but given the fact that he still hadn't told her about his daughter, he felt weird telling her about the true nature of his operation. But he knew that this was a conversation that he would no longer be able to avoid when he got back to Seattle.

So, he spent his mornings taking the very few phone-calls Ros couldn't cover and working on the projects that were his, though on both mornings, Carrick and Elliott paid him a visit. Obviously, Carrick didn't listen when Christian told him that he didn't need anything, and insisted on bringing him breakfast, which ended up being eaten by Elliott because, even though the operation was past them, Grace and himself were still on a rather strict diet, to not shock their fragile livers.

Although Carrick didn't mention the lecture he had given previously, Christian could tell that he disapproved of him working whilst in a hospital bed. But he and Elliott did help Christian when Christian swallowed his ego, and finally asked for help to find the perfect stuffed animal for Grace. The stuffed toys seemed to mean so much to her, so he didn't want to mess up his present. Especially since this one would be special: it would be the one that symbolised their first actual exchange as father and daughter.

The second morning, his father and brother showed up with several catalogues, and the three of them argued on what would be best. Christian wanted to go safe and find a dragon, but Elliott argued that most fluffy dragons were ugly, to begin with. And Christian had to admit that except for the ones from the cartoon he had seen with Grace, he hadn't noted any dragons on her bed.

Carrick kept saying that he should go for the traditional teddy bear, because a teddy bear was something that always stayed in a child's heart, and in fact, Christian remembered that Grace didn't seem to own any bear. He had asked Ana for her input, but she simply dismissed the idea, saying that the type of toy wasn't what would matter to Grace.

Right now, Christian was sitting in his wheelchair (because the doctors refused to let him walk on his own, even though he could now go to the bathroom without any assistance), and looked at Ana talking to Doctor Cohen by the door, whilst Grace was talking about her brave scar again, and how she didn't cry when she saw it.

He praised the little girl, his attention on Grace, though his eyes were still on Ana, and he realised how full of life she seemed. Grace's condition had really weighed her down, and now she was hopeful again. She was even smiling naturally, a thing that had been almost non-existent before the successful surgery.

"Christian?"

"Yes, Grace?"

"Do you think my mommy is pretty?"

Finally, he blinked away from Ana and looked back at the young girl who was expectantly looking at him. She had obviously caught him staring at her mother, and so he honestly answered, "No. I think she's gorgeous."

She frowned, and so he explained, "Pretty is good, beautiful is better, gorgeous is superb. When you tell someone that they are gorgeous, it means that they are pretty times ten over."

Grace kept her brows furrowed, before quickly glancing at her mother, and looking down her hands then, as she asked, "Do you think I'm gorgeous?"

"No," he immediately said, though he quickly realised that this had been the wrong thing to say, and so he tried to make himself clear. "It's not appropriate to say that a little girl is gorgeous."

"What is 'inappropriate'?" She asked with her little pout and focused expression of leaning a new word.

"It means that it's not … polite."

She nodded, and looked back at her mother, whispering, "I don't look a lot like my mommy. I wish I could be 'gorgeous' like her."

"You're better than gorgeous, you're the cutest," Christian assured her, his heart feeling a pang as his daughter was already concerned about her appearance at such a young age.

"Cute is better than 'gorgeous'?"

"So much better."

She smiled brightly, reassured by his words, and suddenly her face became all serious as she planted her blue eyes in his grey orbs. "So! I am feeling a lot better now, that means we can talk about the cookies."

"What cookies?" Ana asked, walking back inside the room and narrowing her eyes with suspicion at her daughter. Grace shook her head, declaring, "It's between me and Christian."

"Christian and me, honey," Ana corrected, and Grace repeated the correct formulation, before looking back at Christian, her face showing that she meant business.

"Did you tell your mommy to make the _pumpkin cookies_?"

Christian had to repress a chuckle. It was obvious in her tone that she still doubted their existence. But he also found it adorable that she was being so serious over cookies. And though he had no proof of it, he was sure that his parents would claim that he had acted the same way when he was younger and had wanted to negotiate something.

"I'll ask her to make some especially for you next time I see her."

"And they will be just for me?"

"Grace …" Ana said with a warning tone. Grace pursed her lips, and begrudgingly said, "I will share some with you, Christian."

"Deal." He presented his hand, and though she hesitated for a second, she shook it, looking so important and so sure that she had just struck the best deal of the year.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

On the third morning after the surgery, Christian was on the phone with Ros after his family's daily visits, and the news she had for him was anything but agreeable.

"Roger sent me a text this morning. He's been trying to call you all night, apparently."

Christian rolled his eyes, his phone on speaker whilst he was scrolling through his emails on his laptop. Roger was his PR, and ever since he had informed him of Grace's existence, he had been trying to call Christian every two days. Sure, he was helping Christian keep both Ana and Grace anonymous and away from the public eye, coaching him on how to make sure they would not be photographed. But he was also pleading his case that Ana and Christian should release a statement about Grace and pose for a paparazzi to take pictures of the three of them, so the tabloids wouldn't have an unauthorised shot to sell to the tabloids. Every two days, Roger was trying to find a new way to convince Christian, but Christian remained firm on the matter. If he could protect the two girls, he would.

"Yeah, I saw the missed calls this morning. I'll call him back when I get out," Christian sighed, all the while reviewing some documents he had been sent concerning his next trip to Singapore.

"No. You have to call him back now. Apparently, it has been leaked that you are in a hospital. He's trying to hold off the news, but there is only so much he can do."

"_What_? Oh, for fuck's sake!"

His thoughts immediately went to Grace and Ana, and how they could easily become the centre of the media's attention. It was for this very reason that Roger had been constantly trying to get a hold of him since he had learnt about his daughter, and now, they were going to be thrown into that circus because he had kept on delaying taking care of this publicity issue.

Without even thinking about it for a second, he hung up on Ros and immediately called Roger, hoping against all hopes that his PR would have a viable solution. As he connected with him, he put him on speaker so he could still message Ros and let her know that he would be in touch with her later in the day.

For ten long minutes, Roger ranted on how this would have never happened if Christian had warned him that he was about to be hospitalised, and how they wouldn't be in this predicament if Christian had listened to him from the start, and made a statement about having a daughter. It was just when he was finally starting to talk about a solution that Ana walked in, cookies in hand.

She smiled to him, but her smile quickly dropped when she saw his worried face. He patted the bed by his side, and took a cookie, letting his PR know, "You're on speaker, Roger. Ana's here."

"Oh, hello, Miss Steele. It has been a while since we last spoke. I hope you are alright."

Christian mouthed that it was his PR and a crease grew between her brows. He gently squeezed her hand, but she didn't respond to it, simply listened to Roger summarise the situation to her.

"As I was explaining to Mr Grey, the news has been leaked that he is hospitalised. They don't know yet which hospital, but it's just a matter of time before they do. There is no paparazzi involved for now, but I was thinking that this could be the opportune time for Mr Grey to release a statement about the predicament that binds the two of you."

"_Predicament_?" Ana echoed in barely a whisper. Christian squeezed her hand again, but it was to Roger that his words went to.

"I told you, I'm not making any statements about my daughter yet."

"Then, how do you plan on explaining that you are staying in the hospital's children's wing?"

"Then I won't stay here. I'll move to the regular recovery wing, and none will be the wiser. I'll make a statement tomorrow. Just try to find the best bullshit you can that would justify my presence without lying too much. If it has to be a burnout, go for it."

"Mr Grey — "

"I told you, Roger. She is off-limits," Christian cut him off, not wanting to enter yet another discussion on how the apparition of a daughter was perfect to melt his image of a stone-cold businessman, and how he should have a photoshoot with Grace and Ana to show off his newfound family.

He hung up, turning his head to Ana who hadn't said another word, though her face clearly showed worry. For a moment, they stayed silent, and then, she cleared her throat and pointed to the cookies.

"Jacob gave the all-clear for some intake of sugar. Grace said you should have some to help you work."

"Ana … Don't mind what he said. Roger always — "

"He is doing his job, Christian. I understand. There is nothing better than a family to make a wolf appear like a sheep. He is here to keep your image as good as possible, and letting the media know you just underwent an operation to give a little girl part of a vital organ … well, who wouldn't swoon for that?"

He nudged her jaw with his finger, so she would look him in his grey eyes. "I don't care what Roger says. I'm not telling the world about my daughter when I still haven't told her."

She smiled softly, removing his hand from her face, though she kept it on her own. She looked down for a moment, before she asked, "So, you _want_ to make a statement about Grace?"

"More like I _have to_. It's the best way to be ahead of them, and not have to sneak around when I want to spend time with her."

She nodded, but Christian could tell she wasn't fully convinced, and he couldn't blame her for this one. He didn't want Grace to be the centre of attention, and he was hoping that having always been very private about his personal life, would keep her sheltered for a while.

Still, it surprised him, when she said, "Thank you, Christian. I know it must not be easy for you, and — "

"I told you, Ana. She's my child too. I might not be the father you'd want me to be, but I'm still her father."

She got up, before kissing his cheek, and as she straightened her clothes, she let him know, "You know, I'm sure that's all that will matter to her in the end. The fact that you're trying. I know I'm far from being the perfect mother, but I try and I show her that I care."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The couple of weeks they had to spend in the hospital passed as a blur for Christian. In addition to him being focused on his upcoming trip to Singapore, he was also still running things for the New York office, even though Ros was doing her best to keep him away from work since he was still 'in convalescence.'

Ana called him every night for Grace's bedtime story after he was transferred to another ward, putting him on speaker. It was an initiative that completely came from her. The first day he didn't try to contact them, and in truth, he got so wrapped up in his work, that he forgot about them. Ana didn't say a thing about it, but she always made a point of texting him every night afterwards, warning him of the upcoming call for Grace's bedtime story.

Grace didn't seem much bothered that he no longer came to visit her. She did ask the first night if he was okay, but after he explained he was very busy, she didn't question it any longer. But she didn't argue with her mother either when he virtually joined their night-time ritual. In fact, she made fun of him when he tried to join in the reading of the story, and completely failed at making different voices, like Ana did.

Still, even though the girls were not necessarily in his mind 24/7, he was still anxious about telling the little girl about her parentage. Though he asked Ana repeatedly, neither of them knew how she was going to react to the discovery that he was her father. Ana was rather optimistic, but Christian couldn't help but remember the disappointment he saw on Grace's face when she didn't receive a fluffy toy from her 'Daddy.'

So, it was with this image in mind that he bought a teddy bear just as big as Grace as a gift. First, because he had noticed that she did not have any bear per se. She had all sorts of stuffed animals, but no bears, and he liked to think that Ana had done it on purpose, to give him the opportunity to do what she had asked of him in her letter.

And now, he was standing in front of their door in the middle of the afternoon, his heart beating much faster than it should. After all, he was just telling his kid that he was her father, no big deal. He wasn't confessing to any crime, nor was he trying to bluff his way into a contract. He shouldn't feel so anxious over something so mundane.

Ana opened the door with a bright smile, though she shook her head in amusement when she saw the toy in his hands. He walked in, and heard Grace before even seeing her, "Is he here? But Mama, we haven't made the lasagna yet!"

She ran into the living room, stopping when she saw Christian, relief washing over her face, "Oh, it's just you."

"Hi, Grace."

Her eyes narrowed, looking at the toy he was holding, and she quickly turned her head to her mother, tears welling up in her bright blue eyes, "Is he not coming?"

Ana promptly took her daughter in her arms and kissed her cheek. Then, she sat on the sofa with her, leaving the armchair to Christian, and, after glancing at him briefly, she explained, "The thing is, your father has come to see you many times. We just didn't want to upset you before going to the hospital. You have noticed that Christian has come to visit you so many times and brought you this teddy bear today. Well, it is because... well, because he is your dad."

Grace turned her head to Christian, who tried to smile in a non-awkward way as he presented the toy to Grace. She grasped it by the arm (given the fact that she couldn't decently take it in her arms), but there was no conviction in her gesture. Christian could tell she only accepted it out of politeness. And what she said afterwards just confirmed Christian's thoughts.

"Thank you for the toy, daddy."

He couldn't be sure of what he hated the most: the formal tone she just used or the fact that this word he had longed to hear in her voice sounded extremely wrong in this moment. He saw Ana looking at him, but he hid his unhappiness with a smile and was grateful when she took over because he had no idea of what to say.

"Grace, honey, do you have any questions?"

"Can I go to my room?"

Ana let her go, and Grace walked out of the living room, leaving the teddy bear behind her, and failing at concealing her tears as she walked away. Christian looked at the disregarded toy, reading into that simple gesture Grace had made. He had always seen her with a stuffed animal, and she had always been proud of them. But this time, she had just left the toy behind, because it had no significance to her.

He got up at the same time as Ana did, but it was obvious they didn't have the same intentions. He was ready to leave, and she stopped him by taking his hand. "What are you doing?"

"Giving her space. She obviously — "

"Running away is not the solution, Christian. You should talk to her."

"'Talk to her'? Did we just witness the same thing? Maybe you don't care, but I am getting tired of seeing my kid cry because of me."

"Christian … How do you think she will feel if you're not here when she comes out of her room? Just give me five minutes, and she'll talk to you."

"I don't want you to force her into a relationship with me! I … just want to be her Dad. Not the man who brings tears in her eyes every time she sees him," he burst out, and she just squeezed his hand, using her other hand to calm him by caressing his cheek.

"That's what being a parent is. It's not just the highs. The lows are also here. We just have more lows than highs right now, but that will make us appreciate the good moments even more."

He closed his eyes, calming down under her touch, and admitting that she was right. He couldn't expect his life as a parent to be as rosy as movies depicted it. And this will just make him work even harder to create good moments in the future. Ana held his gaze until she was sure he wasn't going to leave, and then went in their daughter's room.

He stayed in the living room, mindlessly playing with the toy that Grace had refused, thinking of how she could ask her mother to never speak to him again or never see him again. Finally, after an hour of his brooding and anticipating the worst, Ana came out of the room.

"Well, I am going to start working on that lasagna. If you want to go and see her, she said she would be good."

He looked at her expectantly, hoping that she would give him some sort of insight of what he was walking into, but she just confidently smiled at him, subtly letting him know that she was not interfering in his relationship with Grace. So, he walked to his child's bedroom, the big teddy still in hand, and knocked on the door, before poking his head in.

The first thing he noticed, beside Grace being on the bed, was the fact that there were no more stuffed toys on her bed. They were all on a shelf by the small library she had, and Christian had no doubt that Ana was the one who arranged them to make it look natural. In fact, he was sure that Grace had thrown all her toys out of her bed as soon as she got in her room.

He cleared his throat, and walked to the bed, sitting on the floor with his useless toy in his hand. Grace was sitting on her bed, wiping tears from her eyes, and waiting for him to say something. For a moment, they remained silent, Grace continuously spilling silent tears, and finally, she cried out, her voice broken, "Why don't you like me?"

"_What_?! How could you think something like that?"

She sniffled, and all Christian could do was stare at her, wishing he could take her in his arms as Ana did earlier, but the memory of her crying her heart out when he tried to do so was still vivid in his mind.

"You only came to see me because I was sick, but we were always in the same country. Mama said my daddy lived in America, and when we came here, she said he was very busy. But you weren't that busy because you came to see us. Why didn't you come before I was sick? _We were in the same country_!"

New tears spilt from her eyes, and once again, Christian had to repress himself from reaching out to her. But as Grace wiped her tear-stained face with her hands, he promised to do everything he could so she would never cry because of him again.

"I'm so sorry, Grace. Your daddy is an idiot. That's what your mommy should have told you. But I'm here, now. And I'm not going anywhere."

She shook her head, unbelieving. "Mama said you were leaving soon. She said you had to work in … _Singeipoor_. You don't want to be with us."

"That's what she said?"

"No. She said you want to be with us, but you're busy. But I think she lied because she doesn't want me to cry."

Finally, Christian reached out for the little girl's face to wipe her never-ending tears, and though she didn't jump in his arms, she didn't recoil. The tears that had been silent until then turned into real cries, and he waited for her fit to pass, soothing her by patting her back.

"Your mommy would never lie to you," he assured her when her sobs calmed down, and she just looked down. "Grace …" He waited for her to look up, but she never did, keeping her eyes down.

"Sweetie, look at me." She did, and so he let her know, "I haven't been a very good Daddy, but I promise I will make it up to you. I will call you every night whilst I'm abroad, and when I come back to New York, I will spend time with you. We will go wherever you want and do whatever you want. We will do all the cool stuff little girls get to do with their daddies, okay?"

She nodded weakly, and Christian felt a glimpse of hope. Sure, it was going to be difficult, but at least she was willing to give him a chance. He cleared his throat and got up, but she looked up, and said in a whisper so low he had to listen very closely, "Do you want me to call you daddy? Mama said I don't have to."

In all honesty, he wanted her to call him daddy, but in the meantime, he didn't like the way it felt so foreign earlier when she said it. Besides, he'd had the conversation with Ana, and she had convinced him that it would be more meaningful if it naturally came from Grace.

"I want you to call me whatever you're comfortable calling me."

"I think it's weird. I always call you Christian or Mr Christian."

He smiled to reassure her that he didn't resent her, and she got out of her bed, eyeing the teddy bear disregarded on the floor. They remained silent for a moment before she looked up, a mischievous smile brightening her face.

"You know, I never had a toy as big as me. It makes me feel big."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

In the week that followed the reveal, Christian did his best to come every night. Of course, since Grace had just come out of the hospital, there was always someone having dinner with them. Mary, Jose, Elena, _Andrew_, the Wilkss. And he discovered that Grace loved the attention … and the sweets. Ana had to police that, reminding the little girl that she should pace herself because she had been sick just a little while ago.

But the moments he liked the most were the bedtimes. The first night Grace asked him for a bedtime story, instead of Ana, his smile was so big that Ana kept repeatedly pointing it out later. Of course, he quickly abandoned the idea of making different voices, but Grace loved the fact that he could read in different languages.

He promised her that, when he would be in '_Singeipoor_' he would read her Chinese fairy tales about dragons via Facetime, and now, she was so excited for him to go abroad so she could hear the story.

Of course, he had to tell Andrea to make sure to free half an hour every morning so he could read his daughter the bedtime story she wanted. And so, when he went to Singapore, he found himself narrating the tales of _The Four Dragons_ between two meetings.

Grace seemed to really enjoy those moments, though she was really confused as to why it was morning where he was, when it was night where she was. He also let himself go with her, in the way he never really felt like he could with Ana, buying everything that made him think of his daughter. He particularly found pride in a glass dragon lamp that he was sure Grace would absolutely love.

And there was also the fact that Elliott had been right, Grace was bright, especially when it came to learning languages. Every night, she asked for him to teach her ten Chinese words, and was so proud when the next night she would recite them to him, all smug when Christian would praise her. In fact, he didn't want her thirst for languages to die down, and so he started looking for tutors online, so when he got back to New York, he could have this conversation with Ana.

And, things with Ana were… making him hopeful. They rarely talked, Grace usually snatching the iPad from her mother's hands when Christian would call, and monopolising his attention, but they texted a lot. And he was so grateful that Ana was an early bird. She would sleep whilst he was working, and text just before she went to bed, or just after she woke up, which worked perfectly for him.

Especially when her texts always brought a smile on his face. And Christian loved having this part of Ana back from before. There were a lot of things that changed about Ana after the surgery, and it only allowed Christian to understand how terrified she had been. Ana had not allowed herself to feel or even hope, guarding herself against the world, until she knew that her, _their_, daughter would make it.

**Here is a picture of the view I have for the next couple of weeks. Next time I'm coming here, I want you and Grace to be by my side. -Christian **

**If I recall properly, nothing good came from you sending me beautiful pictures like this. In fact, if I recall, some sweets were denied… ;-) -Ana **

**If I get the baker in the end, I am willing to go on a diet and not get any sugar. It will be hard, but so will I **😏 -**Christian**

**Keep on bragging … You just keep you****r**** views, and I'll keep my sweets. -Ana **

**You're always the one claiming that one should share. I'm just trying to share, so you would be in the sharing mood as well. -Christian **

**Stop making sexual innuendos and get to work. I have to go to bed. By the way, don't forget to call your parents. They called today so we can find a date for them to meet Grace, and I told them you would call. I think she should meet them with you around. -Ana **

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

After his two weeks in Singapore, Christian had to go to Seattle for a week, before coming back to New York. He had many things to settle with Ros, and he had been postponing it for over two months since he had discovered that he had a kid. Moreover, he had realised that he needed additional support and that he needed to pull back a bit from running things from the forefront if he wanted to spend quality time with Grace.

Unlike Ana, Grace never hesitated on calling him out when he was on his phone when he spent time with her. Even during their nightly FaceTime for stories, there had been a couple of times when he answered texts whilst talking with her, and Grace expressed her displeasure in his practices.

Because he had always been hands-on for everything happening in his company, he couldn't suddenly retire and let someone work their ass off whilst reaping the benefits they're making. He needed to train someone, and he trusted no one more than Ros to find the perfect person.

He was running over a few documents, sipping on the early tea that Andrea had gotten him (since she refused to give him coffee 'so soon' after his operation), when Ros finally got into his office, holding a coffee cup of her own and looking rather exhausted.

"It feels like I haven't seen you in ages. Reminds me of when you were dating… When you started up the New York office," she said as a good morning, sitting in front of him and putting down some paperwork of her own. Though Christian never said anything, due to his inclination to stay as private as possible, Ros had picked up over the past not to talk about Ana and the period they had spent together. It always infuriated him, and she didn't like working with him when he was upset.

Christian barely looked up, used to Ros finding some way to be playfully mean, and as he looked over his agenda for the upcoming couple of days, he let her know, "You need to find me a replacement for you."

"If you want to fire me, Christian, this is not the best way to go at it. Why would I find a replacement for myself? I'm not stupid," Ros retorted, shaking her head and sipping on her coffee.

"Because I no longer want you as my COO."

He was still busy looking at his calendar, appreciating that Andrea had booked a half-hour slot for him to keep talking to Grace, even though he never asked her to do so. Ros didn't say anything, apparently waiting for him to say the fateful words, but when he remained silent, she asked for answers.

"Are you really firing me? Just like that?" Ros questioned, seeming to develop first signs of panic.

But Christian replied as deadpan as ever, "No. I want you as the new CEO of this company. But I need someone to replace you first as a COO."

Another small silence followed, during which Christian sent an email to Andrea for her to move a meeting that was supposed to happen tomorrow for the week after, and it was only when Ros broke the silence again that Christian looked up.

"Are you dying?"

"_What_?"

"Are you dying? You'd never give away your position as CEO unless you were dying. Is that why you were hospitalised? Is it cancer? I mean, you never said anything, and the statement you gave a few weeks ago was just bullshit. I just think that, if you're dying, you should — "

"I'm not dying, Ros," he cut her off from her rambling. She let out a relieved sigh and so he explained, "I just came to a moment in my life where I need to withdraw from the business a bit." She looked at him, confused, and he couldn't blame her. As she often pointed out, the office was his home and his penthouse just a very expensive storage room for his clothes and watches. He let out a heavy sigh, and let her know, "I just found out that I have a daughter. And I can't be the chairman and the CEO if I want to spend time with her."

"You have a kid?" Ros repeated with shock, and he just nodded, looking back on his iPad, searching for a picture of Grace, courtesy of Andrea who had scanned Grace's album and synced it to his devices.

But before she could see the picture, Ros asked, "Is it Angela's kid?"

Christian grimaced, annoyed that everyone immediately assumed that his daughter was the result of a fling, instead of being the result of the 'loving relationship' he portrayed for two years.

"No. She's Ana's. And her name is Grace," he said, showing a picture of the two brunettes covered in flour whilst baking. Ros took the iPad and awed, "Awww, she's so cute. Her name is Grace? Like your mother? How … I mean … it's been a while since you saw Ana and …"

"It's complicated," he eluded. "Bottom line is, my kid needed me, and that's why I went to New York and got operated on. I'm trying to keep the news at bay as long as I can. So keep that to yourself. So far, only my family and Andrea know.

But to get back to business, I need more personal time, and to do so, I need another you. I need a shark, someone hungry for more, someone who already had a life and won't mind the hours. Let's be honest, it is a lot."

Ros nodded, giving him back his tablet before she took her agenda out with a pen, and started scribbling things in it. Ros had always been more old-fashioned than Christian, preferring notebooks and agendas to the utility of a tablet.

"Well, how stingy do you want to be?" she asked, and when he gave her a look, she explained, "Because if you want real peace of mind, without driving me to the nuthouse with a burnout, you should hire two people. One for here, one for New York. And you should hire someone to take some weight off your shoulders when it comes to your other investments."

Christian frowned, not liking having to rely on so many people, especially all at once. _Especially_ when it comes to his company. Ros must have felt his discomfort, because she added, "It's going to take time, anyway. You'll have plenty of time to dislike them and sack them if you want."

"That's for sure. Do you have anyone in mind that we can poach from some other company?"

"Well, if you're willing to wait, I think it's better to pluck young graduates. We could mould them as we want, and we won't have any residue from another company. We can start headhunting for promising scholars graduating this year, and the ones that just graduated. I'll get on it tonight."

"Good. Now, let's talk business."

Ros smiled, but before she started her usual brief, she let him know, "Thanks for the promotion, by the way. It means a lot to see that you do want to rely on me. I hope I'll get to see your little cutie soon."

"I hope so, too," he said, keeping for himself that ultimately, he was hoping to convince Ana and Grace to move in with him in Seattle.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

It was Christian's last day in the Seattle office for a while, and as he rang his daughter on his iPad, he tried not to linger on how much he hated having to wish her goodnight via the tablet. Even though he still didn't get a goodnight kiss or a goodnight hug, he didn't like having to interact with her via social media. But at least he knew that Grace enjoyed their little talks. Ana had texted him several times that Grace always anticipated his calls, and she even sent a couple of sneaky videos showcasing Grace being all excited when her tablet would ring.

What he didn't expect was for Grace to pick up straight away, when Ana usually was the one to pick up first whilst Grace was getting comfy in her bed. This time, however, she was clearly not in her bed, and Christian immediately questioned her on that.

"Where are you, sweetie?"

"I'm at Tío Jose' house. Mama said I'm supposed to stay for two periods of sleep, and then I can go back home. Are you going to finish the story of the Dragon Princess, tonight?"

"Yes, of course. When we finish, could you pass the tablet to Jose?"

She nodded, and he first asked about her day. She let him know that in the morning, they went to the mall, so she could buy her school clothes. She was excited about it, and Christian didn't doubt it for a second, Grace loved to learn. She also explained to him why it was morning in China and night in New York, saying how happy she was that Uncle Karl explained it to her.

After ten minutes of small talk, she lied down, holding her Light Fury in her arms, and she told him, "The big teddy was too big, so Mama said I could only bring a smaller toy."

Every night, Christian had the joy of seeing his daughter fall asleep with the toy he had bought her, though it was highly impractical. Most of the bear was behind her, but one of its arms was safely secured in her small arms. At least, he felt that she didn't resent him anymore if she was sleeping with her stuffed animals again.

Once he finished the story, Grace was halfway on her way to Morpheus's world, but she still found the strength to ask, "When are you coming back?"

"Monday."

"You're going to miss lasagna night. Mama said she will be back for lasagna night."

"Are you going to save some for me?"

"No. But Tío Jose said he will make heirloom broccoli tomorrow night; I will ask him to save some for you."

Christian chuckled, noticing that Grace looked less sickly than when he first met her. To begin, she no longer had this yellowish colour on her skin. And now, her cheeks were less hollowed, and it no longer seemed that the skin hugged her bones. In his opinion, she still needed a few more pounds, but considering that the surgery had been more than a month ago, he thought she was on the right path.

She yawned, before calling, "Tío Jose! Christian wants to say goodnight to you."

Christian heard someone coming in the room, and Jose appeared on the screen, kissing Grace's cheek. He took the iPad, but Grace stopped him for a second, "Wait! Goodnight, Christian."

"Sweet dreams, Grace. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

He waited for Jose to move to another room, hoping that Ana's friend would be cooperative, and even more that she wasn't on a date or something. Though he had already done it several times, he checked his phone, just to make sure that Ana hadn't texted him with the reason why she had left their daughter with her Godfather. Finally, Jose stabilised the iPad on what seemed to be a kitchen table.

"So, I gather she didn't take my advice, and let you know …"

"Let me know what?!"

Jose glanced up, though Christian had no idea what he was looking at, before Ana's trademark serious look stared back at him, and let him know, "She flew to LA early in the afternoon. Mary died last night, and the funeral is tomorrow. She couldn't take Grace, because well … despite the operation, she feels Grace is still a bit young to go to a funeral."

Christian remained silent for a second, checking his phone yet again to see if Ana had contacted him. "Does Grace know?"

"Not yet. Ana will tell her when she comes back with the urn. It's the first time Grace is having a sleepover; she didn't want to upset her even more with the news that her Grams was dead."

Christian nodded, agreeing with Ana's logic. Though he had only seen them together once, Grace seemed pretty attached to the old eccentric woman. She was in fact very excited to prepare Thanksgiving with her in a couple of months.

"Thank you for letting me know, Jose. I'll call Grace tomorrow in the morning if that's okay."

"Of course. I won't tell her though, it will be a surprise, then."

Once again, Christian nodded, and just as he was about to hang up, Jose added, "Christian … she kept a facade for Grace, but she didn't take the news well. I just thought you should know."

Jose disappeared from the screen, and Christian was left with his thoughts. Andrea popped her head, letting him know that Ros and the board were waiting for him for the end of the week review, and he got out of his office chair, his phone in hand. He hesitated for a moment, before stopping on the spot and trying to call Ana, just to hear for himself how she was doing. After all, Ana had always been strong, and grief didn't seem like something that affected her.

_Christian looked at his phone once again, willing it to light up with Ana's number. It was her last day in LA, and he had no idea if she was going to come to his place when she __came __back to New York. On the phone, she didn't seem that affected by the death of her friend, Ann; she didn't even ask him to fly to her for support. _

_He knew that everyone dealt with grief differently, and maybe she would want to stay on her own for a while, which deeply disturbed him. Though he would understand, he liked the idea that she would rely on him to comfort her. That's what boyfriends did, no matter how fake they were. _

_He fell asleep trying to catch the sound of her coming back. She never even told him when her flight was back to New York. He woke up in the middle of the night, thirsty as if he had just run a marathon. He went to the kitchen but found Ana curled up on the sofa, watching some old rerun. _

_She turned to him, looking the same as usual, though she seemed a bit more tired, and he waited for her to mention the death of her friend. But she never did, though she made a point in inviting him under her blanket, to watch reruns with her. And he was certainly not going to pass the opportunity of having her so close to him. _

With a sigh, he pressed Ana's icon on his phone, hoping against all odds that she would pick up, but as expected, she didn't answer. He left his office and told Andrea to find him a flight to LA as soon as his day was over. Though his gut was telling him to leave it as it was and wait for Ana to tell him when she was ready, his brain only focused on two things.

One, the fact that Ana's best friend, the man who might as well be her brother, clearly stated that she did not take the news well. The second was that Ana never really told him about Ann when she died. He had called at an inopportune time. He was sure that if he hadn't called, she never would have told him.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, yes, this is a cliffhanger, because I am evil like that. I really wanted a cliffhanger on this one, because of how the next chapter is going. 😈 😈 **

**1\. How do you feel about Grace's reaction?**

**2\. Did you notice that little thing that changed between Christian and Grace? **

**3\. What do you think Christian will do?**

**4\. And I killed Mary ... So, if you recall, last story, I made a point on telling you that Ann's death was necessary and that it was important to remember how both Ana and Christian reacted ... well ...**

**5\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? **

**6\. And what do you think will happen next? **

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	10. Chapter 9: On The Rocks

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

💚** Though I usually stay silent to not spoil anyone, I do want to point out that this story has changed to an M rating. Some of us are fasting and would do well to read this chapter only after sundown (just like I did to write it 😂**)

‼️**ABOUT THE REVIEWS**‼️

**1\. So, this chapter is EXTREMELY long but I am rather proud of it. If you want to know why it took so long, I highly recommend you follow me on Instagram, I do keep you informed of the updates, and I also give sneak peeks of the upcoming titles (and even sometimes, the upcoming chapter) **

**2\. Now, about Grace, yes it was sad, but some of you have pointed out, it was to be expected. I do want you to keep in mind that several characters in this story have said one particular thing about her that explains why she reacted this way, and not another way (I'm not saying what it is in case some of you didn't see it yet, hihi). Also, remember that Grace had some difficulties understanding that America was so big that you needed the plane to go somewhere. She made a whole point asking Christian about where he lived and if he needed a plane when they first talked, and Christian did say he found it odd … **

**3\. About what changed between Christian and Grace. It is something very subtle that only happened without any of them realising it. When they had their talk and Grace felt insecure, Christian called her _Sweetie_. It might seem like nothing, but kids like having a "pet-name" that show that they're different than everyone else in their parents' eyes. **

**4\. About the part in italic, remember that the first story was built with flashbacks as well. In this story, we will mostly get flashbacks of Christian's point-of-view during the first story. **

**5\. About Christian changing … I have so much to say, but I think I will just remind you that both Ana and Elliott warned Christian that she and Grace were not his next challenge or prize to be won …**

**6\. And so many people fear that Andrew flew to LA with Ana. Well, Christian thought of someone else, first of all. second, Andrew (aka Henry Cavill dreamy boy haha) did say that he was not a threat. Why is no one believing him? But it's okay, we'll get to know him better now …**

‼️**DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW**‼️

**Love, Mina **💚💚💚

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy**💚

**Chapter 9: On The Rocks (11,8K)**

**Now, about the title, I just want you to remember that the previous story had a mix of alcohol and sweet when it came to an intimate stepping stone into Christian's and Ana's relationship. **

**In this story, Christian is the whiskey (Often taken on the rocks) and Ana is the precious stone (also called rocks)**

After his board meeting, Christian jumped on the plane that Andrea had booked for him and called Jose once again so he could have the name of Ana's hotel. He wasn't sure what he was doing, and a part of him feared that she wouldn't appreciate him barging in on her like that. After all, this was one of the reasons why they had separated in the first place: because he had overstepped her boundaries.

He arrived in LA shortly before midnight and found a private chauffeur waiting for him, courtesy of Andrea. Once at Ana's hotel, he hesitated. Maybe it would be better to wait until morning before knocking on her door. But the green monster in him kept whispering in his ear that maybe Jack, who was now an actor living in Los Angeles, was in her room. And that the best way to make sure he wasn't, was to knock on her door _now_.

So he knocked, ignoring the _Do Not Disturb_ sign, and finally, after three attempts she opened the door, her hair down and wild as he liked it, and her eyes red with unshed tears, which he had never seen before. She blinked, as if not sure that it was really him, but quickly regained her composure, and gave him a commercial smile, as she asked, with surprise echoing in her voice, "Christian? What are you doing here?"

Before he could even try to find a decent way to present his condolences and explain his presence, they heard a noise coming from the elevator, and Ana quickly pulled him in her room. She was still harbouring her shallow smile that was getting on Christian's nerves. He had a feeling that she didn't want to be her real self around him.

"Do you want a drink? I'm afraid I have no food for you, only canned peanuts."

"Ana …" He said quietly, but she didn't look up, and he liked it better since he didn't like seeing her display a fake smile in front of him. He watched her busy herself, noticing a couple of emptied beer bottles on the table, as well as a letter that seemed old, judging from the yellowing paper.

"I'm so sorry for your loss."

"Thank you."

A small silence grew between them, during which Ana was lost in her thoughts. It was only when Christian touched her shoulder to embrace her that she seemed to come back to the present moment. "I don't want to be rude, but I have to go get ready for bed. If you could see your way out."

She finally looked at him, and Christian had to remind himself that it was Ana's job to be convincing even when she didn't feel like it. She was great at it since he was sure that anyone who didn't really know her would have thought she was completely fine. She was even smiling, and her eyes seemed to play along with the faux positivity.

But he knew better, and the fact that she went straight to the bathroom without even trying to make sure he would leave first was enough to make him understand that she had locked up every gram of sadness for that one interaction. He watched the bathroom door close and hesitated. Maybe this had been a bad idea after all.

Maybe Ana wanted to deal with her grief on her own. Maybe she didn't want to cry in front of him. Some people liked to keep their pain private. He knew that he certainly wouldn't want Ana (of all people) to see him cry, so maybe she was the same. Or maybe it was just Ana hiding behind the wall she had gotten accustomed to.

He raised his hand, but his fist never knocked on the door. He knew what he would see if he gave her time to compose herself. So he just inched the bathroom door open and found Ana sitting on the toilet seat, her knees against her chest, and her chin on her knees as tears trickled down her cheeks.

She looked up at him, her blue eyes red and watery, and before she could say a word, he walked to her, and took her in his arms, forcing her to accept the comfort he wanted to give her. She burst into tears, clinging to him as he crouched so he could be at her level, and he let her cry for as long as she needed.

When her sobs calmed down, he sat on the floor of the bathroom, let her chin rest once again on her knees, as she said, "I'm sorry about that."

"What are you apologising for?"

She shrugged, and though he wanted to push the issue, he felt that this wasn't the time. He remembered when his maternal grandmother had passed away, it had been hard on him, and he could only imagine it was the same for Ana at this moment. But he still pointed out, "You can't reproach me not being there for you when Ann died, and then start apologising when I try to do the right thing. I'm trying to do what you would have wanted me to do six years ago."

She nodded, her eyes lost in space. "Mary would have appreciated you being here. She liked you, even though she often said you're an idiot."

He didn't say anything to that, mostly because he hadn't really known the lady. He had only met her a few times, and she and her friend had appeared as eccentric old ladies to Christian. But Ana cared for them, and they had formed a bond, so a part of him was glad that one of Ana's friends saw him in a good light, even if he was 'an idiot.'

Of course, there was still Jose, but Jose had always been sort of a conundrum.

_As Christian was waiting for Ana to finish work, he noticed that her friend, Jose, kept glancing in his direction, and had tried to talk to Ana several times. Christian had never stayed at the counter, and he was not surprised that the brunette's friend found his relocation weird. But he was glad that Ana didn't manage to talk to her friend. Christian was sure that if she did, the Hispanic man would have found a way to dissuade her from having dinner with him. _

_Though the first time he saw them interact he thought that they were more than friends, Christian quickly understood that Jose and Ana could never be lovers. Just one closer look at their interactions and it was easy for anyone to understand that, though they deeply cared for one another, their love was only platonic. In fact, for the first time in his life, Christian didn't feel jealous of a man, and it had nothing to do with Jose's sexual orientation. _

_He saw how Ana's friend would check out both men and women, so Christian was sure that Jose was not only gay but bisexual. But Ana was … just a sister in his eyes and Christian was sure that Ana felt the same about him. It was something subtle, and people could easily misinterpret it for something more intimate. But given how guarded Ana was, Christian was sure of his theory._

_When Ana finally finished working, he walked her out, making sure to not stand too close to her, since she seemed to have some boundaries she did not want to cross. At this moment, he still didn't know which way the night was going to go. He wanted to ask her to help him out in the public eye, in exchange for some monetary compensation. Although he still wanted to get her in his bed; in fact, if he could get her in his bed _**_tonight_**_, it would be the cherry on top of the icing on the cake. And yet, the reasonable part of him warned him against pursuing this route. When physical relationships went regular, people got attached, and he couldn't risk that. He had no interest in forming something real with the brunette. Maybe something carnal, but nothing more. _

_Ana tore him out of his thoughts when she stopped and refused to get in his car, and though it annoyed him, at least he was sure that she wouldn't end up in the news as the naive victim of a serial killer. In all honesty, he was sure that Ana could throw a mean punch if she wanted to. They kept on arguing, Christian slightly losing his patience as he pointed out, "Don't worry, I wouldn't kidnap you in public. I mean, I am sure that your friends over there would be more than happy to attest that I was the last person seen with you if you were to disappear tonight."_

_He watched her look back at the bar-restaurant and caught the way Jose was looking at them. Christian witnessed how, very subtly, the man made a move that was rebuffed by Ana. Jose then signed for Ana to call him, before turning his eyes to Christian, and if it hadn't been clear to Christian before, it was now. Ana and Jose were like brother and sister. The gaze had been firm, and a silent warning straight to the point. And though he had no sister, Christian knew that this was exactly how he would have reacted at the presence of any potential boyfriends. He would have made sure that the suitor knew that there were dire consequences to bad form._

And now that there was Grace, who was Jose's Goddaughter, Christian had no doubts that Jose would be even more protective of the girls, despite his friendly demeanour.

With a sigh, Ana got up, and Christian followed her, still unsure of what to tell her. He had no idea how to comfort his brother when his wife had passed, and he had no idea how to do it now for Ana. And it didn't seem like Ana was willing to give him clues on what to do.

He watched her clean the table, and when she felt his gaze on her grow more persistent, she twisted her lips to the side, and awkwardly explained, "This was Mary's favourite beer. She always said that there was no better remedy to boost one up. Well, that and …"

She stopped herself and turned away, clearing her throat whilst Christian smirked at her back. Would it have been in a different atmosphere, he would have happily showed her that Mary had been quite right.

"Did you call Grace? She's staying at Jose's. She was worried that you wouldn't be able to reach her there."

"Yes. She told me all about her trip to the mall for her school clothes. I thought Dr Cohen said to wait until Halloween before she would be fit enough to go to school."

"Yes. I just … I wanted to soften the blow. She adores Jose, obviously, but it's her first-ever sleepover, and I wanted to make the day … a bit brighter. She's been talking over and over about going to school, so I … I don't know, I was just trying to make her feel happy."

"Of course. I'm sure it worked. She was really excited when she talked about her shopping spree," he reassured her, and Ana shook her head with an amused smile spreading her lips.

"Grace _loves_ shopping. If I were to listen to her, I'd buy the stores empty every time we go anywhere."

Christian chuckled, though he took notice that his daughter was nothing like her mother, meaning he could get her presents without any groans, as he had become accustomed to every time he had gotten Ana anything. He watched her take the letter in her hand, her eyes skimming through the paper, and he knew that it was his cue to leave.

"Well, I should get back to my room. Do you want me to … accompany you, tomorrow?"

"Don't you have — "

"I'm here for the weekend."

She looked back at the letter, before putting it on the table, and she let him know, "I would appreciate it."

He gave her a small smile and closed the distance to kiss her forehead like he always did when they parted, but just as he tilted his head down, she surprised him by getting up on her toes and kissing him on the lips.

After the first second of surprise, he froze, fighting against his own instincts. And when she broke the kiss, she looked at him expectantly, and proposed, "Maybe you'd like to spend the night here?"

He inhaled deeply through his nose. "_That_ would be a bad idea."

She looked at him, a crease forming between her brows, and he explained, "Isn't it one of the golden rules of grief? No investments, no abrupt sales, no change of career, no life-changing decisions and… no jumping into relationships."

She shook her head, wrapping her arms around his neck, and she kissed his neck all the way to his ear, where she whispered, "I don't care about some psychoanalysis bullshit. I don't want you to become a shrink in this situation. I want… _you_."

She bit his lobe, and it took everything he had to not throw her on the bed and have his way with her. He remained stoic, not wanting to start something that she would regret in the morning. She was, if not drunk, tipsy, vulnerable with grief and clearly horny. This was a recipe for regret.

When he remained impassable, she cleared her throat and straightened up, putting some distance between them. She passed a hand through her hair, looking at the floor. "I guess I misread the signals."

"_Believe me_, you haven't misread anything. I've been clear on what I would do to you if you let me. I just don't want tonight to end up in the regrets pile. Or worse, like last time."

"Are you planning to leave an envelope full of cash tomorrow morning before you sneak off?"

He looked at her pointedly, and she smiled, closing the distance between them. She took his hand in hers, and said, "Maybe I'm just trying not to overthink, and just _feel_. Feel the moment, feel us, feel _you_."

Then she led him to the bed, and the fact that she repeated what he had told her before they had made love wasn't lost on him. She turned her head to say something else, but he didn't give her a chance as he kissed her, cupping her face between his hands, and laying her on the bed.

She eagerly kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck and opening her mouth when he traced her lips with his tongue. One of his hands stroked its way to her breasts whilst the other went straight to her hair. As he let his fingers weave into her mane, he started grinding against her, only encouraged by her moans, but it was only when she reached for his belt that he sunk back to reality.

He reached for her hand and stopped her from undoing his trousers, before rolling to the side and explaining, "I don't want a repeat of last time. I don't have any protection."

She turned her head and kissed him as she got on top of him and let him know, "I do. So, do you really want to stop _now_, after getting me all hot and bothered?"

He let out a small laugh and upped himself on his elbows so he could resume kissing her, and they exchanged a long and passionate French kiss that left them both breathless. Ana smiled at him with lust gleaming in her eyes, then got up and went to her bag, retrieved a couple of condoms from her wallet, turned around and smirked at him.

When she stepped next to the bed, Christian grabbed her, threw her back on the bed, and ravished her neck whilst he started to undress her. She tried to help him out of his clothes, but he stopped her, pinning her hands to the mattress and looking deep into the blue of her eyes as he told her with a husky voice, "_No_. Let me. Give me this one pleasure to make you mine completely."

She nodded, biting her lower lip, and he dipped his head to take that same lip between his own teeth. He wanted to take his time, to make her lose her mind and scream his name until her voice was hoarse, but the more he was grinding against her, the more difficult it was becoming to follow through.

As he got rid of his clothes, he took one of her breasts in his mouth to suck on it, loving the music of her moans of pleasure, and when he started playing with her clit, he knew that he would never last as long as he planned. He could feel how wet and ready she was, and all his brain could think of right now was to get inside of her.

So, he rolled on a condom and aligned himself with her before slowly burying himself in her, and he relished in the way her face contorted with pleasure. He started slow, to give her time to adjust and to gather himself so he wouldn't finish like a prepubescent teen. But when she lifted her legs up, he started going much faster; the only thing stopping him from pounding into her was the fact that he wasn't sure how rough sex could get a month and a half after his surgery.

They were both taking shallow, quick breaths and Christian knew he was just minutes from his climax. And though he could tell that Ana was enjoying herself, if her nails planted in his arms were any indication, he remembered how he had managed to hit her G-spot when he had taken her from behind.

So he retrieved himself, earning a pout from her. Though it quickly turned into a giggle when he flipped her over and lifted her butt a little so he could bury himself in her, which was followed by a sharp inhale of pure pleasure. As he reached between the mattress and her body, he let her know, "I want you to come with me as I make you mine."

Christian resumed his back and forth, encouraged by Ana's yelps of pleasure, proof that he was hitting the right spot, and he relentlessly played with her clit, as he chased them closer to release. They reached Nirvana together and he prolonged it as long as he could, by gently thrusting into Ana.

For a moment, they stayed like that, both sweaty and trying to catch their breath, and after a while, Christian rolled off Ana, right next to her. He was starting to fall asleep, and he didn't want to crush Ana.

But as soon as he discarded the condom, Ana snuggled against him, and he caged her into his arms, smiling to himself as Morpheus beckoned them to his realm. He remembered that although she never said it, Ana had always liked cuddles in her sleep.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Christian slept with one eye open, part of his brain still fearing that Ana would run off in the middle of the night. Even though she had made it clear that she wanted him. There was, of course, the anchor that connected them so she couldn't escape him like last time.

When Ana stirred against him, he tightened his grip, holding her closer to him and relishing in the sensation of her bare skin against his. He only fully emerged from slumber when she tried to get out of bed. He held her even tighter, and the more she tried to get up, the more he pulled her to himself until she called out his name, "Christian … I have to use the loo."

Finally, he let her go, though his eyes never left her naked body as she walked to the bathroom. He switched on the bedside lamp, his mind still foggy as a result of what happened earlier. He was laying on his back when Ana came back to the room, her hair gathered up in a messy bun.

Christian let his eyes travel her body as she walked back to the bed. Her body was less toned, but Ana used to be rather sporty before, and he doubted that she had had much time to exercise since Grace was born. Her breasts were more ample, no complaints there, and her hips were wider, though there were no stretch marks found. He briefly wondered if it was because she had a cryptic pregnancy, but quickly dismissed the thought when she slipped back under the covers next to him.

He switched off the light, and snuggled back against her, kissing her shoulders. She chuckled softly, making herself more comfortable against him, and after a couple of minutes of cosy silence, she told him, "Thank you for earlier. I needed it."

"Always happy to help," he responded smugly, taking pride in how content she sounded. He may have not lasted as long as he had wanted to, but he had clearly satisfied her, and that was all that mattered.

He kissed her shoulder once again, holding her a bit closer to him, and letting her know how much he feared what the morning could make of this. "But … I'm not looking for a friend with benefits kind of deal."

"Christian …"

"No. I have told you before, Ana. I want us back together. I want what we didn't get last time, what we could have had over the past five years." She didn't say anything, though he could tell that all her senses were in high alert, so he added this final blow,

"And I want to give to Grace the family she deserves."

He knew it was a low blow because he was playing with Ana's sensitive nerve there, but it was true. And he had never played fair to get what he wanted anyway. He wanted Ana back, he wanted Grace to consider him her dad and call him as such, and if he had to play dirty to get there, he would not hesitate.

Ana remained silent for a minute, before she reached for his hand on her stomach, and intertwined her fingers with his.

"The thing is … I don't want Grace to believe she'll have a mommy and a daddy forming a family like everybody else, only for us to rip that dream away from her because _we_ couldn't stay together. I don't want to give her the illusion of a family if we don't even know if we could make this work or not."

"What are you saying, then?" Even though he had tried to keep his voice neutral, he heard how cold it was, which was probably why Ana gently squeezed his hand as she said, "I'm saying that… I think that…. The two of us should be… just the two of us. Until we're sure."

"I'm already sure."

"Well, I'm not sure that you are. I mean… I'm not really the person you think I was back then."

"Of course, you are."

A small silence followed, and Christian lifted himself on his elbow, before rolling Ana so she would be on her side. He reached to switch on her bedside lamp, and when he planted his hazel eyes onto her sapphires, she let out a sigh and told him, "I mean … I was never truly myself, was I? I just did my best to fit the mould of what you wanted me to be. But it's not me. I didn't mind that you worked so much, but I did mind that you could go days or weeks without contacting me. I didn't mind that your work was your passion, but I did mind that I was an afterthought. I didn't mind that you never bothered to actually know my friends, but I did mind that… that you didn't even bother to ask about Ann's death."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because that's why you hired me. So, you could have a 'relationship' without all the _bullshit_ that comes with it. Because you made it abundantly clear that you had neither the time nor the will to get invested in feelings and emotions."

Christian looked longingly at Ana, finally understanding why he always felt like she was holding back. She _had_ been holding back. And though he hated to admit it, he was to blame for it. He did tell her that he wasn't interested in the emotional aspect of a relationship.

He delicately traced her body, all the way from her stomach to the tip of her nose, and asked, "Is that why you never let me know how you felt? Because of the contract?"

She nodded, looking down and not meeting his eyes. He gently caressed her cheek, going for another question. "What about today? Why didn't you tell me about Mary? Why did you try to hide in the bathroom when you wanted to cry?"

She shrugged, and he let himself fall on his back, looking at the ceiling as he tried to clear his head. Maybe she was right, maybe he fell in love with a shell that didn't exist. Although there were many things about Ana that pissed him off. Her stubbornness, her trust-issues, the fact that he always had to dig for her to be open about her feelings. But… those were the flaws he loved as well. He couldn't imagine a Ana who would always be compliant, sharing her whole life with the world and inviting strangers in her house. As much as they ticked him off, he loved Ana because of her flaws.

He closed his eyes, breathing in deeply through his nose before letting her know, "You're right. I did ask you to play a role, and I convinced myself that this role you played was you. But that doesn't change the fact that I fell in love with _you_, not with the role. I didn't fall in love with the woman I asked you to be, no matter how convenient she was; I fell in love with the little things you probably thought I didn't notice.

I fell in love with the way you smile. That little smile that starts shy, with you twisting your lips to the side as it slowly fills your eyes with wonders. I fell in love with the way you move and sing when you cook, with how you _feel_ the music, and pour your soul into it. Even if it's just a stupid song about being a Barbie Girl. I fell in love with how you're selfless and you always try to make those you care about happy. Whether it's Mia by never judging her, Jose by being his best friend, my family by making me spend time with them.

And… I fell in love with the way you made me feel. Though we came to be together through money, I never felt like a money bag in your presence. You were there for me, for the highs and the lows. You went out of your way to give me two wonderful birthdays by your side. You… valued _my time_ and not my money. It might be nothing to you, but I'll never forget that night when you took me to the Rockefeller plaza because you wanted to spend time with _just me_.

And most importantly, you made me question myself, and that's something that I stopped doing a long time before you came in. You pushed me out of my comfort zone, and it's not your fault if it took me years to open my eyes."

He stopped talking and only opened his eyes when he felt Ana move. Now, she was the one resting on her elbows, though she was laying on her stomach, her beautiful hair, completely tangled from their previous tossing around the bed, framing her face perfectly. His hand reached for her cheek, and she leaned in his touch as he continued.

"And I know that you're not the same person as you were back then. But this other side of you that I'm discovering, I am already falling in love with it. I'm falling in love with the person that you are on your own. With the woman who can still make me smile, even when I'm miles away on another continent. I am completely enraptured by you, the mother of my child."

Ana smiled like she always did when he mentioned Grace. It was a special kind of smile, one that was full of love and hope, and he never wanted it off her face. He brought her face to his and gave her a sweet and loving kiss.

Though he had just laid his heart out before her, he didn't expect Ana to do the same. First, it had been a very emotional day for her, and though he knew he could push her into sharing her feelings, they wouldn't be the raw ones that he wanted. Second, she had just subtly told him that she wasn't sure of how she felt. And he didn't want to hear her indecisions about him. He would rather wait a bit and make her doubts disappear before she would talk about any kind of feeling toward him.

When they broke their embrace, he traced her lips and said what she was thinking, "But since I never made that clear before, I can understand that you won't risk Grace's happiness just on my word. If you need time to make sure we're solid, I'll bite my tongue and wait."

"I just don't want to get her hopes up too high just to have them crushed by our separation. But that doesn't mean that I'm not willing to — "

"I get it. We'll … we'll do the exact opposite of what we did years ago. No contracts, no keeping our feelings for ourselves, and no cameras to witness our dates."

"Dates? So, we're going on _dates_ now?"

"Well, for me to prove to you that we're solid and we can do the whole family thing, you should at least be my girlfriend. And last time I checked, gentlemen took their girlfriends on dates."

She shook her head, her blue eyes sparkling with that playfulness that had drawn him to her in the first place, and she waggled her finger at him, reminding him of something that she loved to say.

"Remember Christian, gentlemen and ladies should remain in the streets. In the sheets, it's a whole other ordeal."

He chuckled, taking her in his arms and briefly pecking her lips as a question that he didn't want to ask started itching in his mind. He smiled as she rested her head on his chest, and his eyes landed on the other condom on her bedside. He swallowed with difficulty and closed his eyes, trying to reason with himself that maybe it was better if he didn't know.

But Ana started tracing lines on his chest, and asked, "What has got your heart racing like that? We just agreed to give us a try."

"It's not that. In fact, I'm thrilled to finally be able to call you my girlfriend without feeling an aftertaste in my mouth. I… I was just wondering… do you often carry condoms in your purse?"

"Oh, that. I just realised after us that I should never rely on a man to always be prepared. It's a bit hypocritical. I'm always all about equality but I used to expect certain things to naturally come from a man. Condoms were one of them, and our experience helped me open my eyes."

"I see. So… how many times have you… put that thinking into practice?"

And there it was, the question he had dodged ever since he came back in the picture. How many men had she seen after him? How jealous should he be? Even though he knew he had no rights to be, he couldn't help the instincts rooted in him. He heard Ana snigger as she reminded him with a disabused tone, "I'm a single mother, Christian. Do you know many men who would want that kind of baggage?"

"_Andrew_ doesn't seem to mind," he immediately snapped, cursing at the venom he heard in his voice. He had tried to appear cool, but he knew it sounded anything but calm.

"Well, I can assure you, he's not interested."

He opened his eyes, looking down and waiting for her to elaborate and calm down his fears, but she just kept tracing circles on his chest. For a moment, he considered keeping his jealousy to himself and not ask the question that had been burning his lips ever since he had seen _Andrew_ open the door of Ana's apartment. But he knew himself: this would bug him until he knew for sure. Speculating had never been a healthy thing.

"So … nothing ever happened between you two?"

She didn't respond straight away, and he couldn't control the heavy annoyed sigh that escaped him as he clenched his jaw. "You know what, forget it."

"It's not what you think."

"Of course, it is what I think. You wouldn't take your sweet time if the answer was no," he snapped, doing his best to keep his anger at bay.

No matter how much it annoyed him, he had no real reason to get mad at Ana. They were separated, and he himself hadn't stayed completely "dry" either. He shouldn't let what happened during their separation alter the way he wanted their relationship to grow.

He felt Ana move so her head was no longer on his chest, and when she put her hand on his cheek, he opened his eyes, only to see her gently smiling at him, as she assured him, "It's not what you think, Christian. We did decide to try once, but it never went further than a kiss because it wasn't us. The idea of us trying to be _something _came more out of convenience than chemistry."

He felt his heart beating in his throat as she casually mentioned that she did consider settling with that _British insufferable bastard_. That _Andrew_ who had claimed that he wasn't a threat _had_ kissed her in the past, but looking in the blue of her eyes, it's not what he lingered on.

"Well … I'm not complaining that it didn't work out for him, but he's an idiot for not trying harder. What kind of a man lets a woman like you go without a fight? I'm sure he regrets it, and that's why he lurks around you."

She shook her head. "Andrew doesn't lurk, and he doesn't regret us being just friends."

"Don't be naive, Ana. Any red-blooded male who gets to see you would want to get in your pants. Any sane man who gets to spend time with you would want to be in your life. And as more than _just a friend_."

Once again, she shook her head, biting her lower lip with worry. She looked at him and sighed as if she had just made a decision.

"Andrew is really important to both Grace and me. I don't want you to resent him because you're being a stupid caveman imagining my interactions a tad too vividly. So, what I'm about to tell you has to remain between you and me."

Christian clenched his jaw, not like those words out of her mouth. He knew that Andrew was important to both brunettes, but that didn't mean he had to hear it first-hand from Ana herself. But still, he nodded, promising to keep whatever information Ana thought would make him like Andrew more to himself.

Ana looked down, her hair falling and hiding her face for a moment before she looked up, her ocean eyes full of emotions.

"Andrew is a widower. His fiancée and their daughter died in a hit-and-run six months before we met. And he hasn't really gotten over it. He still mourns them, and to be honest, I don't think he _wants_ to move on. It's been four years, and he feels their loss just as fresh as when I met him.

He is just a friend to me, and I am just a friend to him. When we 'tried,' it was mostly because everyone expected us to go this way. I mean, we helped each other in our darkest times. And everyone thought he'd fit perfectly in my family because he's so fond of Grace. You know, she — "

"She reminds him of what his kid could have been like," he finished for her as a small voice inside of him was reprimanding him for his useless jealousy.

For the first time in his life, he was feeling bad about being jealous of another guy. He had always been able to rationalise this irrational side of him. But this time, as Andrew had told him the first time they met, he_ 'wasn't a threat_'. The man had his heart, his soul and his mind on what he lost. In fact, Christian was feeling bad for the British guy. He might only know about Grace a short three months, but he couldn't even imagine how he would feel if she died. Especially if she died at the same time as Ana.

"_Please_, Christian, don't let it show that you know. It's not my story to share, and he should do it on his own if he wants to. I'm only telling you because… Grace can be very perceptive, and if she feels that you don't like Andrew it might affect her relationship to either you or Andrew. You're both important to her, and I don't want her to have to choose."

"I won't say a word," he promised, earning a genuine smile before she resumed her previous position.

He caressed her arm, waiting for her to return the terrible question, and though he would rather not disclose this part of his past, he felt that he needed to be as honest as she had just been.

"You're not going to ask me if I … used condoms?"

"I already know," she said confidently, and he looked down at the mess of her hair, doubting that she could know anything. Unlike what he did with her, he had taken all the precautions in the world to keep Angela hidden.

"What do you mean?"

"I know you've been with someone. The way your voice wavered when you asked, the fact that your heartbeat has been a mess since we breached that topic, and your hands getting clammy at this very moment."

_As Christian got in the hotel room, he couldn't stop thinking that today marked the second year since Ana had left him. No matter how much he liked to pretend otherwise, Ana was always on his mind. And today more than usual. He remembered how he had made the wish on her birthday to spend all her other birthdays with her, and now, he was just left with the memory of a night of passion and the disaster that followed. _

_The media had stopped speculating about them by now. Though many had made countless articles about how they were no longer together, the fact that he never released a public statement got some tabloids wondering if they were just on a break. Especially after he _**_inadvertently_**_ let out that she had left the country for her studies. He never said where, and Roger managed to keep the deal Christian had made in the past in place._

_He had just come out of a business convention where he had been the keynote speaker, and though he had had several drinks, he refused to open the minibar and have any more. He was trying so hard to keep his drinking to just business because as Elliott had so graciously pointed out, he would end up being an alcoholic if he drowned his feelings in booze. _

_He sat on the edge of his bed, trying to not think of what was about to happen, but on what could happen if he was a bit bolder. What if he jumped on his jet and headed to London? What if he went to her place, made her see reason and fucked her brains out before making sweet love to her? What if he managed to convince her to stop being so stubborn and put those past two years behind them? But then again, Ana would never forgive him if he showed up at her doorstep. She didn't like people coming to her place uninvited. The last time they saw each other was proof enough. _

_Christian let himself fall on his back, closing his eyes as he fantasised on the _**_what if_**_? _**_What if_**_ it was Ana coming to see him tonight? He would take her in every position under the moon, tire her until the day would break, making her scream his name repeatedly. He would eat her out as she would take him in her mouth, and he would make her ride him so he could admire her full beauty. _

_He was starting to get fully erect when someone knocked on the door of the hotel room. With the image of Ana still vivid on his mind, he went to open the door which revealed Angela, who smiled as soon as she saw him. Angela and he had been seeing each other for a bit, in a very discreet manner, and always in a hotel room. _

_She was a pretty young brunette, built slightly different than Ana. She had bigger boobs, but a smaller ass. And she wore much more makeup than Ana ever did. In fact, the only thing that really linked them was the fact that they were both brunettes. She was even taller than Ana (not that it was hard to achieve)_

_He never took her to his place, even though she lived in Seattle, and they were yet to have sex. She had signed the NDA, and she had agreed to keep her mouth shut against some monetary compensation, but both times they had seen each other, Christian had been called in for urgent business. _

_But tonight … tonight he had conjured the idea of Ana in his mind especially for the occasion. He was going to get her out of his system, one way or another. And since booze wasn't an option, fornication seemed like the natural choice._

_As soon as Angela was in the room, he kissed her, doing his best to ignore that the feel of her lips was different than Ana's. They weren't as plump and soft as Ana's and were made stickier with gloss. So, he stopped the kiss, and told her as he loosened his tie, "Strip and get on the bed."_

_She briefly hesitated, her brown eyes analysing him for half a second before she did as she was told. Christian undressed, not even sparing a glance toward her as he touched himself to the memory of stripping Ana out of her cocktail dress, kissing every inch of skin he could access. She was so soft and smelled so good. And she tasted even better. _

_With a heavy sigh, he took a condom out of his pocket and rolled it on before going back to the bed where Angela was laying on her back. Christian briefly frowned, wishing it was Ana laying on his bed with her legs spread for him. He could see Angela's entrance glistening with desire, and so he told her, "On your hands and knees. And touch yourself."_

_The less he touched her, the more he could think it was Ana. Their bodies were too different for him to confuse them, but the brain could work wonders sometimes. All he had to do was keep his brain active and focus on the memory of Ana. And that's why when he entered the girl, he had his eyes closed. He let out a grunt of satisfaction, but the girl beneath him froze and quickly moved away from him. _

_"What did you just call me?"_

_"Nothing. I was just in the moment," he said, though he was perfectly aware of the mistake he just made. _

_Angela shook her head, and got out of the bed, gathering her clothes as she said, "I'm all for freaky, kinky and weird. But being called someone else's name is where I draw the line. I can understand you want to forget about your ex. But I'm not the kind of girl that will help you do it."_

Christian looked at Ana's head, feeling guilt take over. How could he be so jealous over a simple kiss that she shared with a friend to realise it wasn't it for her, and yet be guilty of trying to forget about her by having sex with another girl that vaguely looked like her.

"I … the thing is — "

"It doesn't matter, Christian. I don't care what or who you did. We were never really together, to begin with," she cut him off with such a serene tone. He wished he could be as calm as her if he were to hear about her past sexual encounters.

He justified himself, trying to make himself feel better. After all, he never climaxed that night, not even after he was alone. "I never went all the way, I didn't even-"

She cut him off by placing a finger on his lips and looked up, her face not showing a single trace of animosity, and she assured him, "As I said, it doesn't matter. We shouldn't dwell on the past."

He nodded, and she smiled wickedly, kissing her way up from his chest to his lips, "In fact, we should focus on us, and that future you were talking about earlier."

He chuckled just as she reached for his lips, and their simple kiss turned into something more passionate. He cupped her face with his hand, gently caressing her face with his thumb and bringing her closer as his heart rate increased, and she climbed on top of him, throwing away the sheet that was disrupting them.

Christian simply enjoyed the moment, until Ana started taking the lead, so he rolled them over and reminded her, nibbling on her earlobe, "The night is not over, and as I told you earlier, tonight, I'm the one bringing you all sorts of pleasures."

"What if it brings me pleasure to — "

"You'll get to show me how much of a freak in the sheets you can be some other day. Tonight, I'm making you mine, so just enjoy the ride."

She laughed, rolling her eyes as she called him a caveman, and Christian spent the rest of the night making love to her. This time, he took his time, taking satisfaction in rendering her breathless and making her scream his name, and it was only at the first light of the morning that they fell asleep, Ana safely secured in his arms as he whispered in her hair.

"I love you."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Christian woke up barely a couple of hours after they fell asleep, awakened by Ana's cell phone. Before he could even try to reach for it and switch it off, Ana was on her feet, answering the blaring mobile with a sweet voice.

"Hi, honey, how are you doing?"

Christian watched her grab the hotel's white robe before she isolated herself in the bathroom, talking to their daughter on the phone, and he stretched on the bed, thinking back to the previous night, a satisfied grin indelibly marked on his face.

Sure, they still had a lot to work on, but Christian still felt that they had taken a huge leap forward. In fact, he was surprised with himself at how eloquent he had been with Ana. He usually stumbled on his words when he tried to talk to her from his heart, but this time, it all came naturally. He couldn't tell if it was the tiredness he had been feeling for a few months due to his reduced amount of sleeping, or if it was because they had been in post-coital bliss. Or even maybe because she herself had been more open.

In all honesty, he had been shocked that she made the first step, and even more that she told him that she wanted to try this thing he had been refusing her for years. She wanted this relationship with him. And though he understood that she was trying to protect Grace's heart in the very unlikely case that they had another falling out, a part of Christian was sure that Ana was trying to protect her own heart as well. He felt that she didn't fully trust him yet.

After stretching, he got out of bed with a loud yawn, thinking that he needed to be smart tonight and get more than four hours of sleep. Especially if he was to go back to New York the next day and get a full week of late nights. He didn't mind per se, because those late nights were just a result of him spending time with his daughter, but they were starting to get to him, especially adding to the jet lag and the fact that he never let himself have the post-op time to rest that he should have.

As he put his clothes on, he heard Ana still talking to Grace in the bathroom, though he didn't really pay attention to whatever they were saying since he was about to call the young girl just after. So, he took his phone out, briefly skimming through his emails to see if there were any important messages before he sent a text to Andrea for her to get a black suit and black oxfords delivered to his room within the next hour.

Then he put his phone down and sat at the table so he could put his shoes on, when his eyes caught a glimpse of the letter Ana had been reading when he came to her room the night before, his name catching his attention. He frowned, briefly glancing at the bathroom door hiding Ana who was still talking to Grace, and in a bold move, he took the letter and read it.

_Dear Ana, _

_Here comes the time for me to be serious. This letter is for all the times you will wish you could speak to me, but my old bony self already kicked the bucket, and I am no longer here to bask you in my infinite wisdom of old people. _

_As you know, this letter is to help you through the hard times, because we both know that those are the moments we always need extra support in. I hope you won't have too many hard moments in your life, it seems to me you already had your share in your past. But life is a bitch, so better beware. And now, when you'll have a low in life, you'll have this letter to look forward to. But please, don't picture me in a rocking chair with a plaid on my knees as I give you advice. If you must picture an old lady, please, picture the kind who acts crazy and knocks some sense into you with an umbrella. _

_Anyway, I guess now that I've made you laugh, I must make you feel better about life. I know it can get bad sometimes, I know it can get awful and depressing. I know it can sometimes feel like the world is against you, and that nothing will ever be right again. But it will be. _**_Believe me_**_, it will. Sometimes it takes longer than usual, but as cheesy as it is, the world shines after the rain passes. _

_So, whatever made you come to this letter for words of comfort, know it will get better. Whether it's a heartbreak, or the loss of a friend, or a horrible day at work. Whether it's an argument with Jose, or just a gloomy day when you realise life hasn't turned out the way you wanted. _**_It will get better_**_. _

_So, all I can say is, enjoy the moment. _**_Live your life_**_. I know how you like to keep to yourself, and how you like to pretend that nothing touches you, but in the end, does that make you happy? Do you go to bed with that content smile, knowing that you've been treated the way you wanted, the way you felt you deserve?_

_I know that society pushes us to always perfectly fit a role, men or women; we all have a role that we must nail. But in the end, how do you want people to remember you? Do you want them to say that you were a good lawyer/friend/mother, or do you want them to say that you were a good person? It is very subtle, but in the second case, you are yourself, not just a role. _

_So _**_live,_**_ my dear Ana. Live and enjoy your life as much as you can. Tell the world how you feel. Tell Jose how you feel safe around him (don't lie, I saw it with my own old eyes). Tell Christian your true feelings for him (_**_don't lie_**_, I saw it with my own old eyes once again). And most importantly, tell yourself how you feel. Every morning own up to how you feel. It's okay to be blue from time to time, and it's okay to be over the moon when the rest of the world is sad. _

_And I know that someone like you, who holds her feelings and emotions close to her and doesn't show them to anyone, will find it difficult to talk about those intimate thoughts, but that's how you will go on in life. You know you have your own Mary, you know that Jose will never leave your side, so let me tell you that it never hurts to let your best friend know what they mean to you. _

_And for Christian, whether it's a phase or something for the long haul, you shouldn't keep him in the dark. It's not fair to him, and it's not fair to you. Because if you don't give yourself this chance to live out a full relationship with him, you will regret it all your life. And you know what they say, remorse is better than regret. Give him a chance, and if he tries to make it all about himself, don't hesitate to slap him on the back of his head. Powerful men often forget that home and work are not the same thing and shouldn't be dealt the same way. _

_Overall, Ana, I just want you to live your life. I want that, when you get to be my age, you will have as many wonderful memories as I have. My memories are not wonderful because I did extraordinary things, but because I enjoyed the moments when I lived them as myself. Don't be a just a lawyer, or just a wife, or just a mother! Be Anastasia Steele. _**_Be Yourself_**_._

_And remember, if you're blue today, it's to smile even brighter in a near future. If life takes you down today, it's to give you a better opportunity tomorrow. It only goes on when you let it. _

_With all my love,_

_Ann_

Christian put the letter back on the table, glancing once again at the door. He understood now why Ana made a move on him, and why she had been so open with him over the night. She was following Ann's advice, especially since she had been reading the letter when he came to see her.

And though he should feel bad from reading her correspondence, all he could think about was that little sentence when Ann implied that Ana loved him. This made him ponder, on the fact that he had never heard Ana use this word in his presence. Even if they had a heart to heart last night, and he told her in every shape and form that he loved her, she never said it back. And he knew that he was pushing his luck and that it shouldn't bother him, but it still did.

With a shake of his head, he went back to putting his shoes on, and Ana finally came out of the bathroom, still wrapped up in the white fluffy robe. He looked up and frowned when he saw the crease of worry on her forehead.

"Everything okay?"

"Yes. It's just … maybe I should have stayed in New York, with Grace."

"I'm sure Jose is taking very good care of her," he reassured her because though he didn't really know Jose Rodriguez, he believed in the bond between him and Ana.

"Of course, he is. He loves spending time with her. It's just … she had this sad voice over the phone. It's her first sleepover, and I feel that maybe it was unnecessary. Mary would have understood if I had stayed in New York."

"And you would regret not coming for the rest of your life. You need to say goodbye to your friend. Grace is safe, and it's a perfect rehearsal for when my mother will do her best to steal her away from us."

He got up and took her in his arms, relieved when he heard her chuckle against his chest. She gently tapped his torso, and told him with a small smile, "Well, I'm going to shower, so I can wash off all that sweat you gave me last night."

He kissed her, letting her know he would do the same, and he went back to his room where he called Grace as soon as he was sitting on the bed. Jose answered, a small smirk lingering on his lips as he called for Grace, and Christian heard her screech before he even saw her.

She took the iPad in her hands, and he assumed that she sat on the sofa as she pragmatically pointed out, "But it's not bedtime. We're just about to eat lunch. Is it bedtime where you are?"

"No. I just thought I'd surprise you." She smiled brightly, clearly happy that he thought of her at some other time than bedtime, and he asked her, "How are you doing?"

Grace shrugged, a small pouting clouding her face now. "I miss my mommy. I can't wait until she comes back."

"She's coming back tomorrow, right? For lasagna night?"

Grace pitifully nodded. "Yes. I called her before, and she said just one more sleep. And she said that she will make me French toast on Monday morning because I had a nightmare yesterday." She whispered the last part, as if sharing a shameful secret, and though he felt bad that she had a nightmare, he was glad that she trusted him enough to share this with him.

"I didn't know you liked French toast."

"Yes, I do. And my mommy always makes me French toast when I have a nightmare, or when there is a storm. Can you make French toast?"

"Ha-ha. Nope. I am not as good as your mother in the kitchen department."

He watched Grace frown and Christian wondered if she was judging him as a grown-up since he just confessed, he didn't know how to cook. But her concern was completely different,

"But … what if I have a nightmare at your place? Mama said we were going to sleep at your place next weekend."

"I hope you won't get any nightmares whilst staying at my place. Especially with the room, I made just for you."

"You did what? I will have my own room in your place?" She asked excitedly, and he nodded, delighted by her animation. "Do I have to take the plane? You said you live in… Se…attle, and that you need the plane to go there."

"I do. But I have an apartment in New York, too. But someday, I'll take you to Seattle with me."

"And my mommy too?"

"Of course," he assured her.

"Can I bring my big bear to your place in New York?"

"I'll buy you another one, so you'll have one at your mother's, and one at my place. Okay?"

She smiled brightly, revealing all her teeth, and he heard her hail, Jose. "Tío Jose! Christian said he is going to buy me a new teddy bear. Big like the one I have."

Jose responded something that made Grace giggle, and Christian glanced at the clock.

"I have to go Grace, but don't forget to keep me some broccoli."

She grimaced, and whispered to the camera, "Tío Jose made the broccoli smell yucky. I think it's not going to be good. But I can bring you a cookie from Uncle Karl."

"One cookie? What would your mother say about that?" He called her out, remember very vividly how Ana chastised him when he had shared a single truffle and that she didn't think that it was enough.

Grace pouted, though Christian couldn't blame her for trying. And he reassured her, by letting her know, "It's okay. My Mom is going to come and visit you when you'll come to my place. So, I guess you'll give me more than one cookie when you'll get your pumpkin cookies."

She narrowed her eyes, still clearly doubting the existence of such cookies, and Christian shook his head with an amused smile. "I'll call you tonight, okay?"

"Okay. But not too early. Mama is calling me tonight, too."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The funeral went as well as one could expect, though Christian soon discovered that it was a memorial service, and not a funeral because Mary had been cremated. He was surprised to see Dr Cohen, but Ana discreetly explained that Ann and Mary shared a family by having married brothers. She also presented him to one of Mary's sons called Ian, the one with whom she lived whilst in London. The old man promised to visit Grace before going back to the UK.

No one seemed confused by his presence by Ana's side, even though she never introduced him to anyone. So, all he did was stand by her side, present his condolences to the family of the deceased, and write a consequent check to the charity box that was present. Ana explained to Christian that Mary had always said that she didn't want flowers at her funeral, but donations that would go toward the charity of her choice.

He was not surprised that Ana didn't shed a single tear, even when she received a small urn with Mary's ashes in it. Christian had to admit that he wasn't expecting to feel so much like an outsider. Since Ana was only a friend of the deceased, he had assumed they would both feel like intruders. But Mary's family clearly considered Ana a part of their family. They all asked about Grace, many giving Ana advice on how to break the news when she confessed, as she wasn't sure how to broach the topic. And they all insisted that she was still part of the family, even if Mary was gone.

Many brought up the topic of Thanksgiving, saying that she was still invited with Grace, but though she didn't say anything, Christian could tell that she was slightly uncomfortable with this idea. In fact, he was sure of it when one of Mary's daughters invited Ana over for Christmas, and she immediately responded with a pretence of Grace and she already had plans with family.

When they got back to the hotel, Christian went to his room so Ana could call Grace, and he worked a little on his laptop before calling his daughter himself. Then he went back to Ana's room, not without going by the reception and buying condoms since he knew Ana didn't have any more in her bag.

And the way he was greeted when he got in the room told him that he made the right choice. Ana lured him to her bed and stripped him out of his clothes before his body could even hit the mattress. They made love for most of the night, though once again, Christian refused to give her the upper hand. He wanted this weekend to be engraved in her memory by how much he pleased her, and not for how much effort she had to put forth.

Once they were trying to catch their breath, lovingly spooning after Ana came back from the bathroom, she broke their peaceful silence to point out, "We didn't even have dinner. And there I lectured Grace about making sure to eat every meal."

"We can order room service," he said, reaching for the menu by the phone. He felt her hesitate, and he nibbled the skin of her neck as he added, "If I'm going to wear you out, you need to get some calories in your system."

They read the menu together and decided to get a pizza to share and a chocolate cheesecake Christian couldn't resist. He called the reception and asked the food to be billed to his room, and promptly took Ana back in his arms whilst waiting for the food. She switched on the TV to get some background noise, and he remembered something he had wanted to ask earlier during the day,

"What are you going to do for Thanksgiving?"

"I don't know, yet. Grace doesn't know anyone but Ian, and he will be back in London. And it was Mary who invited _us_. The three of us, I'm not sure if anyone knows that. And I feel like now I would be a burden more than anything, and they are just doing it out of obligation. I don't want it to be awkward.

This will be Grace's first Thanksgiving, and she's so looking forward to it, she loves celebrating every time she gets the chance. But I don't want her to be sad because Mary won't be there, and it was supposed to be _their_ thing."

Christian glanced down, surprised that she had put so much thought into such a simple thing. He hadn't celebrated Thanksgiving for decades, and he was sure that Ana wasn't really into the celebration, to begin with. In their two years together, she never made a fuss about it, when she always nagged him to spend Christmas and his birthday with his family.

But as she said, this was Grace's first Thanksgiving and he wanted it to be perfect for their daughter. Albeit, his reasons were a tad more selfish. This was his first holiday with Grace, and he wanted the memory of it to be perfect for both Grace and him.

"We could … make our own," he proposed.

"What do you mean?"

"We could invite our own people over and celebrate it amongst them. Jose, my folks, Mia. I could even fly over that Ian guy if you want."

She laughed, looking up, her blue eyes sparkling with mirth. "In New York? Have you seen my place? Four is a crowd in there."

"We could do it at the penthouse. You know I didn't buy it just for me." He saw that she was ready to argue, and so let her know what he really wanted.

"I just want my first holiday with Grace to be memorable for the fun of it, not for the awkwardness. And … I guess I just want to make sure that _none_ of us will feel awkward. That includes Grace, but you as well."

She studied his face before kissing his chest and promising, "I'll think about it. Let me talk to Grace first."

He smiled to her and when she raised her left arm to scratch her head, he grabbed it, only now noticing a change that he should have noticed as soon as he saw her naked. On the inside of her bicep, just above her armpit, were six digits in black ink.

She didn't say a single word as he traced the thin lines representing Grace's date of birth, and a lump grew in his throat. She had a tattoo of Mia because, no matter how short their time together had been, that friendship had marked her. She had a common piercing with Jose on her right tragus, because this friendship also meant a lot to her. She had a tattoo representing their daughter on her left side, the side of her heart, because this was probably the most meaningful relationship she would ever get. But _he_ hadn't meant enough to her for her to permanently put it on her body.

With all the difficulty in the world, he swallowed the lump, tracing the obvious empty space below Grace's date. How many times had Ana said that she wanted to '_breed like a Catholic rabbit_'? In the past, Ana never spoke of wanting _a_ child, but child_ren_. And though he was grateful for Grace, he wasn't sure if he wanted more.

And yet, Ana didn't mention this issue even once, even though Christian knew this was something close to her heart. His eyes left the tattoo to go back to her face as his mind wondered once again if all had gone well when she had given birth. She had eluded the topic more than once when he had asked about it.

He opened his mouth, but the room service knocked on their door, and Ana promptly got up, putting on the robe and giving him a sweet smile, though he could tell that she was putting this conversation he wanted to have on hold. He watched her tip the server and bring the pizza to bed, and as she sat by his side, she let out a small sigh.

"I know what you want to ask, but… I don't want to think about it now. I want to enjoy this right here, right now. Is that okay with you?"

He held her gaze, analysing her face. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

"It doesn't matter, Christian. It's the past. Let's eat the pizza and watch some bad night-time TV."

"You'll tell me at some point."

"Next time this topic comes up, I will tell you all you want. Just not tonight please."

He kissed her, and she gave him a slice of pizza, zapping from channel to channel, looking for something interesting to watch when he leaned and whispered in her ear,

"And in case I haven't made it clear so far; I love you, Ana."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, the fluffiness and the cuteness of this chapter is … over the top haha. Maybe I should just kill someone to balance things out. I should stop saying that because when I'll kill someone, no one will be surprised. Plus Mary is already dead, may she rest in peace. **

💚** But yeah, I gave you a very sweet and cute chapter, EXTREMELY long as well. So please, do let me know what you thought this time. And I would also like to take the time to thank my betas who do a lot of work to make this story more fluid. **

💚**I am not going to lie since it's a big chapter, I have so many questions, and they might not necessarily be in order.**

**1\. You know Andrew's story, now. How do you feel about it? And who feels bad for mistrusting him? **

**2\. And I have to say that I was surprised no one ever talked about Angela, even though she had been mentioned several times by different people close to Christian's work … So how do you feel about it?**

**3\. Ann's letter has been mentioned in the previous story but never read. And now we have it. And I know, Christian read something that wasn't his to read, but how do you feel about the letter. **

**4\. How do you feel about Ana, now? And I can ask the proper question now. it's the second (or third depending on how you count) time that she's deflecting talking about Grace's birth and how she took the thing overall … why do you think that is?**

**5\. We had a tiny bit of Grace, and I think she was the cutest, haha. So what was your favourite Grace moment?**

**6\. And yes, of course, I'm going to ask about it. How do you feel about the reunion? It might seem sudden, but as Christian pointed when Ana made a move, she wasn't in her right state of mind. And later, when we read the letter, we understand why she took this leap.**

**7\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? Mine was the tattoo reveal, but that's because I know what's coming up next … **

**8\. And what do you think will happen next? **

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	11. Chapter 10: Rough Diamond, Rough Mallow

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

💚** For this chapter, no need to wait for sundown, you can enjoy it any time of the day ^^**

‼️**ABOUT THE REVIEWS**‼️

**, about those feeling that Ana's move was weird. Christian explained at the beginning that it was ill-advised because she was grieving and therefore not in her right state of mind. And afterwards, he read Ann's letter, telling Ana to live the moment. Just before she made a move on Christian, he saw her look at the letter in her hand. _Then_, she put it on the table and made a move on him. **

**2\. Now, I am so glad no one is ripping my head for Angela. I hesitated to put this part for a while, but it was necessary. And I'm still alive. Thanks, XD**

**3\. And I'm also glad you guys feel this way about Andrew. He is a great guy, and not just because he is Henry Cavill, haha. **

**4\. About Ana, the pregnancy, and what follows. It will be explained, so don't worry. But just not now. Because you know I'm evil.**

**5\. About Grace, well, there is a big clue coming in this chapter, so … you shall see. Also, remember that Elliott told Christian that kids were quick to judge, but also quick to get attached. **

‼️**DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW**‼️

**Love, Mina **💚💚💚

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy**💚

**Chapter 10: Rough Diamond, Rough Mallow & Rough Rider(8,2K)**

**_So, about this title, we have our first chapter that is really centred on Ana (diamond), Grace (mallow) and Christian (rider). Hence why we have the three of them. Moreover, mallow is a flower that represents love and protection, and that is said to be the guardian of the house _**

The next morning, Ana and Christian took his jet back to New York, though they mostly worked on their own projects during the journey. Ana did try to argue that she already had her flight home booked, but Christian convinced her to come with him when he reminded her that they would get back to New York much sooner if they took his jet which was just waiting for them to board.

An hour or so before they landed, Christian stopped working in the hope of getting some rest. Which he did, though he remained in his seat, only bothering to use his hand to partially cover his eyes from the light. This was a position he was used in sleeping in whilst travelling. So much so that Ros often joked that he could use this position in a meeting, and no one would know that he was sleeping.

He only woke up when Ana gently shook him up. He shook his head, getting rid of his fatigue for the rest of the day, and as they walked out of his plane, he whispered in her ear as his hand rested on the small of her back, "One day, I'll get you back on this jet."

"Why? Did you get all snobby and can't fly commercial, anymore?" She teased, shaking her head and making her beautiful hair bounce around her face.

His eyes sternly lingered on her hair, and when she caught his gaze, she rolled her eyes, muttering something that sounded a lot like '_caveman_,' and she tied her hair in a messy bun. In all fairness, except that night when he had shown up unannounced to her place and found Andrew waiting for her out of her bath, he hadn't seen her with her hair loose, and no matter how much it made him look like a _caveman_, he liked the idea of being one of the rare few to see this side of Ana.

Even before he made the request to her, he had noticed that she never let her hair down. And though at first, he had slightly obsessed over seeing her with her hair down, he would never forget how beautiful she looked in her _petite robe noire_, barefoot and with her hair cascading around her face. At the time, if he hadn't signed a contract with her, he would have forgone their verbal accord and taken her to his bed.

He had refrained from his impulses but had still asked to be the only man to see her with her hair down. If he could keep part of her beauty to him and him alone, he would selfishly do it.

He snapped back into the present moment, and let her know, "For your information, I flew commercial coming to LA. And the only reason why I want to take you flying on this jet when I won't be tired is because I want us to get into this very exclusive club that only accepts members on aircraft.

"Naughty, naughty. Who said I'm that kind of freak?" She admonished, though her whole face showed that she wouldn't mind joining the Mile-High Club with him.

He leaned and nipped her earlobe, letting her know, "Your devilish smile."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Because Ana wanted to pick up Grace on her own, Christian asked Sawyer to drop her at Jose's place, before driving him to his place. At first, he had wanted to pick up Grace with Ana, so they could surprise their daughter together, but Ana pointed out that it could be misinterpreted by Grace. Ana explained that the young girl was perceptive and that she could easily think that they had left for the weekend to have a good time without her.

So Christian agreed to drop by later during the day, to give the two girls time to get back home (and get the lasagna ready). He also proposed for them to break the news about Mary's death together, and she gratefully accepted his offer, though she asked for them to wait for the next day, so it wouldn't be too much all at once for Grace. She still wasn't sure how the separation went for Grace.

As Sawyer drove him back to his place in Manhattan, Christian thought of how the separation of the weekend had affected Ana much more than it had affected Grace. Grace mentioned it at the beginning of each of his calls that she missed her mommy, but then she eagerly talked about everything and nothing with Christian. Especially when it came to dishing on Jose's failure at making broccoli.

Ana, on the other hand, questioned her decision to leave Grace behind throughout the weekend. Sure, when they were having a moment, she hadn't brought up the worries (which would have been a very awkward thing to do), but Christian still saw how hard it had been on Ana, and how much it had made her feel like a bad mother. And no matter how much he tried to reassure her that Grace was fine, he could tell that Ana didn't believe him.

Once he was back at his place he went straight to his office and sent an email to Andrea, so she could find him a maid that would come twice a week to clean the place. He could have made it so the Taylors moved in with him in New York for the time being, but things happened so quickly at first that he hadn't thought of it. And now, though he wouldn't have any issue making them come to New York, he knew that Ana wouldn't approve.

Sure, he could have kept going without a maid, given the fact that he only went back to his place to sleep. He worked all day long and ate at Ana's every night. He was sure that Andrea had someone to come and do a quick clean since he always had fresh sheets and a clean bathroom. But the pantry was empty, and the penthouse felt empty, which he wanted to avoid for when Grace would come. He knew Ana would understand, but he didn't want Grace to think he was a terrible grownup for not having food in his place.

After his email to Andrea, he worked for most of the day, only stopping when Ana sent him a text to let him know that Grace and she were home, with Jose and Karl, who she had invited over to have dinner. So, after finishing the file he had been working on, he let Sawyer know he needed a ride to Ana's. He could have driven the SUV he bought for Ana, but he was too tired, and he didn't like driving in New York, to begin with.

When he arrived at Ana's place, it was Jose who opened the door for him, and just by the Hispanic man's smug smile, he could tell that Ana's best friend knew that there had been a development in their relationship. Whether Ana told him or not remained to be determined. He pretended as if hadn't noticed anything, and just went in the apartment, his arms heavy with presents for Grace.

She was nowhere in sight, but neither was Karl or Ana. He assumed that they were in her bedroom. He sat on the sofa, under Jose's observant stare. It seemed that the man couldn't stop smirking.

"So? How was your weekend? Relaxing?"

Christian was saved from answering by the trio coming into the living room, and Grace rushing to him to give him a hug, a big smile plastered on her face. He happily embraced her, and when she sat in his embrace, she let him know with a knowing smile, "Mama said you were coming tonight. She said it's because you missed me, but I know it's because you want to eat the lasagna."

He laughed, pretending to have been discovered as he said, "Darn, you know me too well. But to be fair, I did miss you too. Even more than the lasagna."

"You did?" He nodded, poking her nose with his finger.

"Yes. I thought of you a lot whilst abroad, and I brought you presents."

"But … I thought you were busy?"

Christian quickly swallowed his discomfort, understanding the logic in his little girl's brain. In her mind, he had always been busy and never thought of her. Before her operation, he never came to visit, never called her on a regular basis, and only sent a stuffed animal to mark a milestone. All because he had been 'busy'.

And now, now that he was actually there in her life, doing his best to act like a father, it didn't make any sense to Grace for him to be busy, but still, have time to do all the things he had failed to do before because of his business. So, he gave her a small apologetic smile, and explained, "I know. And I'm sorry I wasn't there before. But I promised you that we would get to spend more time together, didn't I?"

She nodded, and Christian appreciated that Ana had pretended to have a conversation with Jose and Karl, to provide a pretence of privacy for their chat. He cleared his throat and reached for one of the presents to give it to Grace. She grinned, clearly liking the idea of getting a present, unlike her mother who had always made such a big deal out of it. She carefully unwrapped the gift, making sure that she didn't tear it.

Ana came to sit on the floor, so she would be between Grace and Christian, without blocking either from the other, and Christian saw from the corner of his eye that Jose took his phone out to capture the moment, with Karl on his side.

"Oh, it looks a bit like a dragon!" Grace exclaimed at she finally unwrapped her first present, which was a small Merlion figurine.

"It's called a Merlion. It has the body of a fish and the head of a lion. 'Mer' means sea in French. I thought, maybe, you could put it on your shelf with your other figurines."

She smiled brightly as she nodded in agreement, and Christian took pleasure in seeing her open her other gifts, though he had not been very original and stayed on the safe side of the touristic things. He watched her marvel over the golden Risis orchid, the necklace made of beads, the local snacks, the traditional red gown, the books with tales from Singapore, the snow globe from Seattle with the Space Needle in it. And finally, she opened the present he was most excited about because it was the one he was sure she would appreciate the most.

The Chinese dragon glass lamp.

When Grace opened the wrap, her eyes went big, and her mouth formed an 'O' of excitement before she started trembling with frenzy.

"Mira, Mama! Mira! Es una lámpara de dragón! Can I put it in my room? Can I?" (_Look, Mommy! Look! It's a dragon lamp!_)

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Ana pointedly asked, giving her daughter a look that clearly showed Ana was expecting something from the young girl.

Grace turned to Christian, the lamp still safely secured in her arms, and she gave him her best smile as she said sincerely, "Thank you so much, Christian!"

He returned her smile, happy that Grace was clearly not like her mother when it came to accepting gifts. Still, he was quickly forgotten, because Grace turned back to her mother and asked again, "Can I?"

Ana smiled, and just as she was about to get up to help Grace install her lamp, Jose intervened and proposed to do it with her and Karl. He took the lamp from Grace's hand, and she warned him, saying that he should be careful not to break it.

Christian watched the trio leave the room, a satisfied smile on his lips. Even if she liked all her presents, he was sure that this one was the one she would cherish the most. Ana got up from the floor and started gathering the scattered wrappings, but Christian saw that despite her smile, there was a small crease between her brows. He halted the task, taking her arm in his hand, and asked, "What's wrong?"

She started shaking her head to dismiss the thing, but he kept her arm in his hand, and so she conceded, "I know that you're happy to buy her things, and I don't want to come between the two of you but … don't spoil her."

"I'm not spoiling her. I'm just bringing my kid souvenirs from my business trip."

She nodded, but Christian could tell by her smile that she was only humouring him. So, he let her go, trying to understand for a moment why Ana would fuss over their daughter getting presents and being happy about it. It was as if she believed that everyone should brood upon receiving gifts.

He watched her go to the kitchen space, and as she put the lasagna in the oven, he got up to stand behind her. He put his hand on her shoulders, and asked, "Are you not happy that I made our kid happy?"

She spun to face him, looking insulted that he could even think that, "_Of course_ I am happy that she's thrilled. I… I just don't want her to automatically associate you going away with her getting presents."

And though it was only the first time he ever brought Grace presents, he could understand Ana's logic. In fact, this simple statement showed how well she knew him. Because if she hadn't brought that issue up, Christian would have made sure to bring presents from every single business trip he would ever make. Even if it was just to Washington.

He sighed, having a sudden flashback of his parents and how often his mother had won the logic argument over their father, and he kissed her forehead as he promised, "I won't make it a habit. But I _will_ buy her things. You can't rob me of the glee she just displayed."

They were interrupted by Grace running to him and grabbing his hand to drag him out to her room where she proudly showed him the place of her dragon lamp. She had put it on her bedside table. She excitedly showed him what happened when she switched on the light, and how the red scales of the dragon sprinkled the wall with ruby light, and Christian sat on her bed as she told him all about her weekend with Jose and Karl.

She also showed him the globe that Uncle Karl had gotten her and took a flashlight from under her bed to explain why it was day in Singapore when it was night in New York.

"So, Uncle Karl said that our planet is round like this _globe_ and turns like _this_, _and _around the sun. So, when the sun is on _this_ side, it is night on _this_ side. And that's why we didn't sleep at the same time. Because look, _Singapore_ is here, and the light touches here. But New York is on the other side. It's quite simple."

He praised her, though he kept for himself that he was quite impressed that she understood so well the concept of time zones. He wasn't even sure if Jason, who was almost nine, could explain it so well. Grace put back the flashlight beneath her bed, all proud of herself, before she put her hands on her hips, accusingly exclaiming, "I was saying _Singapore_ wrong and you never told me! Why?"

"I didn't think it was so bad. In fact, I thought it was cute."

She pouted and let him know with an adorable scowl on her face, "I don't like saying wrong things."

"Next time you'll say something wrong, I'll correct you."

She raised her pinky and held it high, looking expectantly at Christian as she asked for confirmation, "Promise?"

He smiled, locking his own finger with hers as he swore, "Promise."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Over dinner, Christian got to witness how involved Jose was in his goddaughter's life, and how close Grace was with both men. He did find it odd, given the fact that Grace had spent most of her life in the UK, and had only been in the US for just over nine months. He saw first-hand that Grace even had private jokes with the men, which did give him mixed feelings.

In a way, he was glad he could share this moment with her, even though he was not part of the joke. But in the meantime, he couldn't help but be envious of Grace's relationship with Jose and Karl. They were so close that a couple of times, he felt like an outsider at their dinner table.

Still, everyone included him as much as possible, even if, in the middle of dinner, Grace clearly complained to her mother about having so many people over that night.

"You know, Mama, I think it's funny that everyone is visiting us when it's lasagna night."

Everyone laughed, though Grace clearly didn't think it was a laughing matter. Karl softened the blow of having so many people eating off her lasagna by admitting, "To be honest, Grace, I just didn't want Jose to cook for me tonight. Yesterday's broccoli was a disaster."

"Yes. My mommy makes much better broccoli. It was just yucky."

"What did I say about calling food yucky?" Ana intervened with a tired voice, making Grace pout as she tried to defend herself.

"But Mama, it _was_ yucky."

"Well, you say it was not good. Food is never yucky or disgusting. It's just not to your taste, or not well made."

"Okay, okay. We get it. I don't know how to cook. Can we switch to another topic?" Jose said with defeat, before turning his head to Ana with a devilish smile, "For instance, we can talk about how you're glowing."

Grace squinted her eyes at her mother, trying to see the glow that her godfather was talking about. "Did you put on your green mud when you were away?"

"No. She just got a really nice massage. The same kind of massage your Uncle Karl needs to give me tonight after dishing on my cooking," Jose explained with a wicked grin, making Ana clear her throat and Christian smirk smugly at her.

Grace seemed satisfied with that answer, and Christian had his answer: Jose knew for sure that he had gone to see Ana and that they had done more than just talk. He tried to look at her from an objective point-of-view, see if there was indeed a glow about her, but the only thing that was different was that she seemed more relaxed.

Over dessert, Jose whipped his phone out once again, to take pictures of them, and Christian recognised that Ana and Grace seemed extremely comfortable in front of the camera. Though he remembered that Ana used to love taking pictures and that the photo album she had given him was full of pictures. He was sure that she had even more.

Still, he insisted to have a few pictures taken with Karl and Jose. He knew that Jose was only trying to take family pictures, to fill the gaps of the missing years, but Christian knew that the couple was important to the girls and that they should be in some pictures as well. He didn't want Grace to think that she needed to push people away to accept him in her life.

After dinner, Karl and Jose left, though Jose made a point of reminding everyone that he was getting his massage tonight, and once they were alone, Ana and Christian put Grace to bed. Ana read _A Wrinkle In Time_, which Jose had started on Friday night, and Christian joined him to do the male voices, to Grace's delight (she had told him several times that he was terrible at making female voices).

When Ana closed the book after reading two chapters and put it down by the dragon lamp, Grace looked at her lamp with glee, before informing her parents, "Tio Jose said that we were going to watch the movie together when I finish the book."

"Oh?" Christian questioned, and before Ana could clarify, Grace explained, "We always watch the movie after finishing the book with Tio Jose. This weekend, we watched _Les Misérables_, and it was in black and white. But I always like the book better."

Christian nodded, keeping to himself that book or movie, _Les Misérables_ was far too advanced for four-year-old. But then again, Grace was the kind of four-year-old who could explain how time zones worked, just with a flashlight.

Ana kissed her daughter goodnight, making sure she was properly tucked in. When she got up, Christian gave his usual goodnight, but Grace sat up, holding his hand to stop him from leaving. Ana briefly glanced at them, before giving them some privacy, and Christian crouched back down as Grace let him know, "I'm glad you're back, Christian. Even if I know you came back early for the lasagna. I'll have to ask Mama to make more when you come."

"Says the girl who had three servings."

"But Mama always gives such _small_ sizes. You should tell her that I'm a big girl now. I'm not a baby, you know."

"I know," he conceded, keeping for himself that he would never get to experience what it was to be the father to a baby. Sure, he had the pictures Ana had given him, but it wasn't the same as experiencing the real thing.

Still, he smiled at her and poked her nose with his finger. "Goodnight, sweetie."

"Goodnight, Christian," she replied, but this time, she reached for a hug and Christian was just all too happy to comply. The embrace was brief, but still impactful to Christian, and when he left Grace's room, he found Ana in the kitchen, in the middle of doing the dishes, though she pointed at the counter and said,

"She left you a cookie. I guess she forgot with all the commotion of the eve … what's wrong?" She interrupted herself when she met his eyes, and Christian just shook his head, going to the promised cookie that was accompanied by a drawing, and explained, "I just got a hug goodnight."

Ana smiled brightly at him, sharing his glee before she returned her attention to the dishes. Christian took the drawing in his hand, examining it as he mindlessly ate the cookie. It was a childish depiction of Ana, Grace and himself, with a dragon spitting purple fire above them. Grace was between her parents, holding their hands, though only she and Ana smiled, or had hair for that matter.

"So … am I growing bald? Or did the dragon burn my hair off?"

"Haha. Is that what you're focused on? I would be more worried by the fact that we all have big heads or overall disproportionate bodies, but yeah, go for the hair."

"Isn't it the norm with kids? They have no compass, right?"

"Grace usually stays in the right proportions. But she said that she wanted to try something new for you. So, we're stuck with gigantic heads."

Christian smiled, though he folded the drawing and kept it in his pocket, before watching Ana dry the dishes and put them in their rightful place. He was surprised at how comfortable he was with the domesticity of this scene, but even more that he was able to project this very scene in his place in Seattle. Ultimately, he liked Seattle better than New York, and he would do his best to convince Ana to eventually move to Seattle with him.

"By the way, I had my parents on the phone earlier. They're quite excited about next weekend. Though they warned me that Elliott won't be here. Julian has Little League, apparently."

"Do you want to postpone and go cheer him on?"

"No. I already messed up with the boys. Let me try to do it right with my kid."

Ana gently shook her head, though her smile showed that she understood where he was coming from, and as she was putting the final plate in the cupboard, Christian told her, "And just so you're prepared, the gifts I just gave Grace are nothing to what my parents have in store. They're probably going to bring loads of toys and books, and whatever else goes through their mind. Especially my Dad. He's always wanted a girl."

She sighed, shaking her head disheartened, though there was a hint of amusement in her voice. "You Greys are going to turn my child into a rotten spoiled brat."

Christian placed himself behind her, undoing her messy bun as he kissed her neck and said, "I just want to make her happy. Where is the harm in that?"

"But she _is_ happy. She was over the moon to see you. She hugged you before even knowing you had anything for her. She's happy because you're spending time with her, not because you're bringing her gifts from all over the world."

He hummed, agreeing that Grace had been happy to see him, even though she had no idea that he was bringing presents. Still, there was this one thing that Ana wouldn't be able to rationalise,

"And yet, her eyes sparkled with joy when she opened her presents. I have the money, Ana. And you were the one who kept pointing out that there was no point building an empire if I didn't have anyone to spend it on. Well, I have two girls, now. I know you don't like gifts, but I'll be damned if I don't give my kid everything she wants and more."

She let out a heavy sigh, clearly defeated, though she did not try to step away from his embrace. He held her a bit closer, probably to soften the blow of what he was about to say.

"As a matter of fact, I happen to have something for you too …"

"Christian" …

"Nah ah ah," he chastised, tightening his grip on her. He kissed her neck once again and reminded her, "On my birthday, when we were in Hong Kong, you promised not to moan and whine when I gave you something."

"That was ages ago. Things have changed."

"Nope. It was a birthday promise. You can't put an expiration date on it. If you want to moan, you can only do it when I'm on top of you."

Finally, she got out of his arms, rolling her eyes and he grabbed the small bag that was left as she prepared coffee for them. As the pot brewed, she unwrapped her presents the same way Grace did, never tearing the paper, which was extremely infuriating to Christian. It was paper, it was made to be torn.

She appreciatively smiled when she saw that he had gotten her the same traditional gown that Grace had as well as a scarf, and a typical perfume from Singapore. "I meant to ask you earlier … did you pick all these yourself?"

He nodded, and she thanked him with a gentle kiss on the lips. Then, she told him to sit on the sofa and brought them each coffee as Christian thought of how this simple thing could matter so much to Ana.

In the past, he had always asked for personal shoppers to find whatever he had wanted to get to her, even though he always had to trick her into accepting his gifts. And though she was always appreciative, they never seemed to hold any sort of value to her. But now that _he_ had been the one hunting down the presents, he understood why this time was more impactful for her than the ones of the past. It wasn't just that he was the one who spent time looking for them, it was the proof that he had been thinking of her at some point, in his busy schedule.

When she came back with a coffee mug for him, she sat next to him, closing her eyes and appreciating the peaceful moment between them, though Christian interrupted it by mentioning something that had been bugging him since the funeral.

"By the way, at Mary's memorial, you said you had plans with family for Christmas. Is it with Jose?"

She opened her eyes, looking at him questioningly as if he was missing something. "Not really. Your mother invited us for Christmas when your parents came a couple of months ago. And I couldn't really refuse. Beside Grace being her grandchild, it would also be the first time she would celebrate Christmas with other children.

And when your Dad learned that Karl and Jose always flew to London to celebrate with Grace, he invited them as well. So, Grace would have some familiarity still."

"Oh."

"I thought you knew."

He grimaced, because, in all honesty, the only reason he had thought of contacting his parents was because he wanted Grace to have her pumpkin cookies when she came to his place, to make it as nice as possible so she would want to come back.

He knew he was in for a lecture from Ana, who always was the one to push him toward connecting more with his family. So, he closed his eyes, leaning back against the headrest, and confessed, "Aside from last week, I haven't contacted my parents since … I came back from Dubai. We had one ugly conversation that I'd rather not repeat. It's always the same, they try to be supportive, and I just push the whole world away, to prove I can do it on my own.

And… then my Dad came for the surgery and …" He snapped his eyes opened, looking at her seriously, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You seemed preoccupied enough as it was. And you seemed down as well. I thought you were going to cry when you called that night you were back from Dubai." He didn't say anything, because truth was, he had been on the verge of crying.

"I just didn't want to put more on your shoulders and make you feel even worse by saying that I was more comfortable with a backup plan. I know that it's not easy becoming a parent out of nowhere. It wasn't easy for me, and I _wanted_ it. I can't even imagine for you."

She sipped on her coffee, before deeply inhaling and turning her face to Christian with a bright smile. "But here you are, eating away her lasagna, and keeping drawings of you getting bald in your pocket."

"My hair is perfectly fine! She must have not had the right crayon to do my hair."

"Really? Because I think I can see the beginning of baldness, right _here_," she teased with a mocking smirk as she touched his hairline. He glared at her, glad that genetics gave him more chance than not to still have hair when he would be old and grey.

She laughed and he pecked her lips before getting up and looking for his iPad. When he sat back next to her, he explained, "Since Grace loves learning so much, I have been searching for a tutor to teach her whichever languages she wants to learn. I mean, there is only so much I can teach her. My foreign languages skills are rather limited and mostly business-related. I don't even know how to properly say, 'Where can I find the bathroom' in Chinese."

"She's four, Christian."

"And yet, you read to her _Les Misérables_ as a bedtime story, and Karl taught her how the Earth is round and spins on its own axis, creating night and day in different corners of the world," he retorted, because it seemed to him that it was much less outlandish to teach a kid different languages than to teach her about time zones or about a mostly forgotten French revolution.

He watched her chew on her lip, before she rationalised, "Well, I'm sure that school will teach her all she wants to know. They do have a few elective classes."

"About that… I don't want her to go to a public school."

"And why not?"

"I've been looking around, and the Trinity School seems good for her."

"So, you want her to go to a _private_ school?"

"I'll pay for it."

"That's not the issue," she snapped, rolling her eyes. "I just don't see what's wrong with a public school. I went to a public school, and I ended up alright."

"And I went to a private school, and I ended up alright as well. It's not a matter of… class. it's a matter that nowadays, she's less likely to be shot in a private school."

"Oh … you're right," she conceded, and Christian just stared at her in surprise. He had expected her to argue a bit more, but it seemed he had brought the right argument to the table. So, he decided to push his luck a bit further.

"Now, about the tutor — "

"Not now. I don't want to put too much pressure on her."

"And I just want to reward her curiosity"

She smiled and reached to gently squeeze his hand, though it felt awfully patronising. "And I commend you for that. But she just moved countries at the beginning of the year, underwent a taxing surgery a few months ago, and is starting school in just a few days. Plus, she just discovered that she can build a relationship with her daddy. I don't want to overwhelm her. Let's wait until after Christmas and see how she adapts to school first, okay?"

He agreed, retaking possession of his hand to email Andrea so she could get them an appointment at Trinity School. He was aware that since the year had already started, he would need to make some sort of bribe, but he had never been above bribery.

"Look at us, parenting together. Who would have thought this would ever happen," she joked, as she made a move to get up, but Christian quickly disregarded his phone, his email done and sent, and grabbed her hand so he could snatch her back to the sofa where he laid her down.

As soon as he was on top of her, he kissed her, using his tongue to enter her mouth, but though she responded, Christian knew that this wouldn't go any further. It was something subtle, and he wasn't sure that Ana was even aware of it, but it was still enough to calm his ardour. Her hand went from his hair to his chest, before she flattened her palm against his heart.

The first time this happened, it was on her birthday, in Vegas. It was something so soft, so gentle, that he almost mistook it for a caress. There was no pressure to push him away, no other clear sign that he should stop. Nothing but that simple flat hand on his chest, as if her subconscious was trying to say something that she did not dare say out loud. And in all honesty, he went out on a limb. He had just tested his theory to see if she would insist. But he had been right.

And that was why this time, again, he stopped his assault, though this time he asked as he rested his forehead against hers, "What's wrong?"

"What?"

"You did that thing."

"What thing?"

"That thing that stopped me from going further in Vegas."

"And what is it?" She asked with a smile.

"I'm not telling you. I like the idea of knowing things about you that even you don't know. But what's wrong?" He asked again, hoping that she wasn't finally catching up on them, and regretting this big leap they had made together.

She didn't say a word, although she briefly glanced toward the corridor, and Christian finally understood. Her flat wasn't big enough to hope that Grace wouldn't hear a thing. And since Ana didn't want to tell her about them yet, there was still the risk Grace would wake up and walk in on them making out.

So, he sat up, clearing his throat, and letting her know, "It's better this way anyway. I have to catch up on my sleep."

"Me too. I must get up earlier so I can drop Grace at Elena's. I have an early meeting with Ray, tomorrow morning."

"You never told me why you never picked up the branch of child attorney, by the way. I thought it was your calling."

"I decided otherwise."

"Why? Because of Raymond?" He insisted, sure to rip a new one for Raymond if that had been the case. He had warned the man that it was Ana's decision to go wherever she wanted and that he shouldn't try to influence her to get her to work with him.

"No. Because of Grace."

He frowned. "I don't follow."

"I … Working for Amnesty made me realise that I would never be able to ask money from people who needed help. It just feels dirty. I wanted to be a lawyer to help people, not to rid them of their money, though I have absolutely no scruple doing it to big companies. I'd scrape yours, poor in the blink of an eye," she added with a teasing laugh.

"But the truth is, it doesn't feel right to do it to the little people. But I have Grace to think about. I can't be all sweet and mallow, taking every case coming my way pro bono when I have bills to pay, and a mouth to feed."

"Well … you have me now. I can take care of that," he proposed, though Ana responded exactly as he had anticipated.

She snorted, getting up and shaking her head, standing all independent and self-reliant. "I'm not going to live only off your money. I thought you knew me better, Christian."

He got up as well, putting his hand on her cheek, "I don't want you to give up on your dream."

"I'm not. I just have a bigger dream. Grace is, and always will be, more important than my career."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

When Friday night arrived, Ana and Grace finally visited Christian. He went to see them every night of the week and even spent a couple of nights with Ana. Both nights that he stayed with her, they did nothing more than sleep, but he had missed feeling her in his arms. There was a certain peace sleeping next to her, even though his mattress was much more comfortable, and he had to wake early so Grace wouldn't catch him.

He had tried to reason that Grace wouldn't question it if she saw him over breakfast, but Ana was firm on that point. Their daughter was too perceptive for her own good. So, he had to sneak out of her place like a thief at five in the morning, thankful that it wasn't winter yet.

He asked Sawyer to go pick them up and took a cab himself to join them at Eleven Madison Park, where he had reserved a private dining room for the three of them. Roger almost had a heart attack when Christian told him that he was taking his girls out, even though he still hadn't made any statement about him being a father. But the thing was, he was in no hurry to let the world know about his kid.

When he got to the restaurant, he barely waited a couple of minutes before Ana and Grace arrived and they walked into the room together. As the little girl sat between Ana and him, she looked as shy as the first time he had seen her.

"I don't know how to cook as well as your mom, so I thought we could have a nice meal out together," he justified himself, and she nodded, though he saw her glance around to all the empty tables around them.

Because he wanted this dinner to be as intimate and private as possible, he had asked for them to have the room to himself, even though it could easily hold twenty or so people. But though she had been shy at first, Grace didn't complain at all, as her mother would have in the past.

Throughout dinner, she told Christian of her day, and how she had spent the day with Carla because her mother was working. She proudly told him that she was going to go to a school with uniforms, and that Carla and she had been shopping for said uniform, and that she had even bought the white socks with ruffles for when she would wear a dress or a skirt.

After they finished eating, Sawyer drove them back to Christian's place, and he gave the two brunettes a tour of it. He noticed how Ana had the same polite smile like the one she had when he had given her a tour of his place in Seattle, but Grace seemed much more excited than her mother. Especially when they got to her room.

She had been in Ana's arms all throughout the tour, but as soon as Christian opened the door to her room, she reached for the floor and marvelled, "Is this _my_ room?"

"Yes."

She screeched with joy, running to jump on the Toothless sofa with obvious glee before she rushed to her bed where there was a brand-new teddy bear waiting for her. She hugged it (as well as she could, given the fact that the bear was bigger than her), and said with awe, "You remembered! Mira, Mama, Christian got me a bear for when we come here!"

"I can see that."

"And look, the sofa looks like Toothless. And there are stars on the ceiling. Oh, and mira! There is a rug, by the bed! It's so soft, it tickles, haha. Oh, mira, mira! This lamp is making bubbles inside!"

"It's a lava lamp, honey."

"Do you have one in your room too? Christian, can you show us Mama's room?"

He smiled at her enthusiasm, and his lips spread even wider when she put her hand in his as he led them to the other room where Ana was meant to stay. Though, he deeply hoped that she would sleep with him over this weekend.

Several times, Grace made the journey from her mother's room to her own, her brows furrowed with concentration before she asked, "You're sleeping here, Mama?"

"Yes."

"So, it's 42 steps away." She waited for her mother to nod. "Okay. Why didn't you give Mama a Toothless sofa?" She then accused Christian with big eyes of shock, as if this was the worst thing he could have ever done.

"Well… um… I don't know."

"That's not nice. She should have a cool room too. Do _you_ have a Toothless sofa?"

"No. My room is very boring," he defended himself, doing his best to ignore Ana sniggering behind her hand. Grace narrowed her eyes in his direction, clearly doubting his words, and so he showed her to his room, which was as boring as he had promised.

Grace shook her head, clearly showing that she thought little of his poor decoration skills, and they put her to bed, though she made sure once again that her mother's room was only 42 steps away from hers.

Once they were alone, Ana explained, "She did the same thing when we moved to New York. Don't worry about it."

"Seems like she fears I'll kidnap you."

"No one wants to kidnap me. I'd be a terrible hostage."

"I don't know. You cook, you clean, and I can think of something else you could do for me if I were to kidnap you," he teased before kissing her and showing her exactly what he had in mind.

She returned his kiss, though she pulled away rather quickly, clearing her throat and killing all his plans for the night. "Well, I'm going to stop you right here, I'm on my period. So, you'll have to sleep alone, tonight."

"Why? I thought I had proven that sleeping together doesn't necessarily mean sex."

She looked at him, before shaking her head with a small smile and following him to his room. As they got ready for bed, Ana pointed out, "She is right though. You should try to lighten this room up a bit. It is so… dull."

"_You_ could make it brighter. After all, I do intend on making _my_ room, _our_ room."

Once again, she shook her head and slipped in the bed by his side. As soon as she was under the covers, Christian scooched over so he could take her in his arms, and he whispered in her ear, "You know, you could move here."

"Christian …"

"Why not? She obviously loves the place, and I would get to spend more time with the both of you."

"Let's not put the cart before the horse," she reasoned, but he still insisted.

"I'm already at your place every day, what's wrong with you guys coming here?"

"It would give her that exact hope we said we didn't want to give her yet. I just don't want to disappoint her. Plus, my lease is still in place for another four months."

He gave a resigned sigh, though he was far from giving up on the matter. Ana turned so she could face him, even though she was still caged by his arm and she rested her hand on his cheek as she assured him, "I'm not saying no. Just not now."

"That seems to be your motto lately."

"I just — "

"I know. I'm just not a patient man. Don't get me wrong, I'll wait, but don't think for a second I'll be nice and won't try to speed up the process."

She chuckled, her thumb caressing her cheek as she pointed out, "Well, you did say several times that you weren't going to play fair."

He smirked, not the slightest bit ashamed, and brought his hand up to trace the contour of her face with his fingers. "Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?"

And there it came, even though it was dark and he was sure Ana thought he couldn't see her: that faint blush that was so rare on her face. She always liked to be so composed and in control of how she felt. But there it was. That blush that came ever so rarely and that made his heart beat a tad faster.

"I'm already in your bed, Christian. You don't need to woo me."

"I'm not wooing, I'm stating a fact. And trust me, when I'm going to woo you, you'll end up breathless."

She rolled her eyes, laughing at his boasting, and when she was done, he asked, "I meant to ask you during the week. Why don't you run anymore?"

"When am I supposed to run? I stopped running when I had Grace."

"I understand that. But do you want to get back to it? Or to anything. There is a gym in this building. And a pool."

"And there you are, trying to tempt me to move in," she said, seeing through his game, though she added, "But I might take you up on that pool offer. You and Grace will get a couple of hours on your own every week whilst I pretend I can still swim."

He tensed, sourly remembering that the first time Grace had been alone with him, she had cried her heart out. Ana got closer to him, forcing him to look at her in her blue eyes, dark in the night.

"She won't cry again. If she knows I'm going out, she'll know not to expect me for a while. She was surprised last time. It won't happen again. And I'll just be a few floors down if the worst is to come."

"I don't want her to cry because of me."

"She won't Christian. But the two of you spending time together will be good. You'll be able to form that relationship you want to build with her, and before you know it, she'll call you Daddy."

**_[…] End of part 1. To be continued in part 2 […]_**

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, the fluffiness and the cuteness of this chapter is … over the top haha. I know, right? I must be sick, or something. I said I'd kill someone, and then I overload you with cuteness. And this is just part 1! More is to come. Haha. **

💚** So yeah, I had to cut the chapter, because there is so much more to come, and the chapter would have been WAY too long. To give you an idea, the draft version of part 2 has more than 2,5K, and the draft version of this part had 3K …**

💚**Now about the questions, they will be all cute as well and they might not necessarily be in order.**

**1\. Do you feel like Ana about Christian and the Greys spoiling her kid? **

**2\. Do you agree with Christian about the private school and the tutor?**

**3\. Jose is back … any thought about him? And his failed attempted on broccoli! BLASPHEMY! **

**4\. How do you feel about Ana renouncing her dream job?**

**5\. What about Grace's reaction to the room? And what was your favourite Grace moment?**

**6\. And what about Christian trying to get them to move in?**

**7\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? Mine was the drawing, and Christian being so self-conscious about getting bald XD **

**8\. And what do you think will happen in part2? **

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	12. Chapter 10: Rough Diamond, Rough Mallow2

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

‼️**ABOUT THE REVIEWS**‼️

**1\. So****, this time, I won't delve into the reviews, because it was mid-chapter and the cuteness is just here to continue. hihi. Just for you to know though, This chapter all together would have been over 16K … And I had to cute down the end to put it next chapter. I really need to learn to make small chapters. **😭😭😭** I promise I'll try.**

**2\. Still, I just want to congratulate the couple of people who actually caught that there was something about Christian. I'm not saying more to no spoil those who didn't catch it yet, but yup, the ones who know, bravo!**

‼️**DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW**‼️

**Love, Mina **💚💚💚

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy**💚

**Chapter 10: Rough Diamond, Rough Mallow & Rough Rider (7,2K)**

**Part 2**

**_So, about this title, we have our first chapter that is really centred on Ana (diamond), Grace (mallow) and Christian (rider). Hence why we have the three of them. Moreover, mallow is a flower that represents love and protection, and that is said to be the guardian of the house _**

Christian woke up the next day to someone softly knocking on his door. He opened his eyes, just in time to see Grace's head popping through the door as she squinted her eyes to check if he was awake. After briefly glancing at the empty space next to him, he sat up, smiling at her, though he did not make a move to get up, doing his best to hide his morning inconvenience from her.

"Mama made some hot cocoa. Do you want some?"

"Of course, I'll be right out."

She closed the door, though he still heard her shouting "He's awake, Mama! He's coming!" as she ran back to the kitchen.

After he was sure he'd be presentable, he got out of bed and joined the girls in the kitchen, where he was greeted with the delicious smell of breakfast. There was freshly pressed orange juice, hot cocoa with a hint of whipped cream on top, and crepes, still warm. He sat in front of Grace, smiling at Ana who was already dressed.

In fact, he was sure that she went out before either Grace or he got up because he didn't recall seeing any oranges in his fridge. But then again, Ana had always been an early bird, and it seemed that Grace was just like her mother on this one.

He was still trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes, when Grace solemnly asked, "Christian? I have something important to ask you."

"Grace," Ana warned off. "Let him wake up first."

"But…" The argument died in her mouth when Ana gave her a stern look. So, she pouted, and Christian took a large gulp of orange juice, then said, "Ask away, I'm all ears."

Grace brightly smiled, and resumed her serious face as she asked, "How do you feel about waffles?"

"I… like them?"

"Good. Now, Mama said that I got to choose the breakfast today. But she said _you_ get to choose — "

"Grace, what did I say?" Ana warned again, but this time, Grace didn't cower. In fact, she was outraged in the cutest fashion.

"But Mama, if he says he wants waffles tomorrow, it's not _my_ fault. I didn't tell him to pick the waffles. I just said that… he _could_ pick the waffles."

Christian chuckled, rolling a crepe so he could eat it, and he had to admit, Grace knew how to secure her food, and how to try and get what she wanted. Still, when Ana opened her mouth, he came to his daughter's rescue.

"To be honest, I've never had the pleasure of tasting your waffles, Ana. I think Grace is right. We should definitely have waffles tomorrow."

He winked at Grace, who seemed pleased with herself, whilst Ana shook her head with amusement. She sipped her cocoa, before announcing, "I think if you two decide to conspire against me every time we come here, I might decide to rest, and not cook anymore."

"It's okay. We can make the goodies, right Christian? How about next week, when we come back, we make cookies?"

Ana grinned wickedly at him, waiting for his answer, and she hid her laugh in her mug when Christian agreed to bake cookies with Grace the next weekend. In fact, she even added salt to the wound.

"Great. You'll get your waffles tomorrow, and I can't wait to taste those cookies of yours, next week."

Christian cleared his throat, not willing to linger on the topic of his future culinary experiences and commented on the food as he ate another crepe. "If I had known you guys had such nice breakfasts, I would have come in the morning as well."

"Mama makes special breakfasts on the weekends, or when I'm sick. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday we have porridge. Or oatmeal. It depends."

"I see. So, you like oatmeal?"

"Yes. Especially when Mama puts raspberries in it."

Christian nodded, noting somewhere in his mind that he would have to have to ask Andrea to let the maid know to stock up on raspberries.

"Does your mommy make you pancakes and waffles when you were little like me?"

"Did your mommy make you pancakes?" Ana corrected, and Grace repeated the correct formulation, looking expectantly at Christian. He thought about it, searching in his memory, and admitted, "Not really. Most of the time, we had a maid who cooked for us."

"What is a _maid_?"

"It's a person who … cooks, shops and cleans."

Grace frowned, looking down at her plate with her small pout that proved that she was connecting some dots, and then she looked up at her mother and asked, "Are you a maid, Mama?"

Though Ana immediately laughed at their daughter's deduction, Christian was less than pleased. "Oh, honey. Not everyone who cooks and shops and cleans is a maid. You make your bed every morning, and yet, you're not a maid. In fact, I think you should get to it before we get you cleaned up."

Grace nodded, satisfied by this answer, even though it was far from satisfying to Christian. In fact, he could understand why Grace made this correlation, and he hated to admit that he had a part to play in it. Ana was always the one who cooked, and he never helped her clean.

As far as Grace was concerned, her mother was doing everything he just told her a maid did. And he didn't like it one bit. In fact, it made him feel like one of those archaic and macho men who thought a woman's place was only in the kitchen, and he didn't want his daughter to grow up with this example in mind.

So, when Ana started cleaning up their breakfast table, Christian stopped her. "I'll do it."

"It's okay, Christian. I don't mind."

"You don't mind? Did we hear the same conversation? Didn't you just hear our daughter call you _a maid_?"

"It's nothing. Grace always questions everything. A few days ago, I was a witch, today I'm a maid, tomorrow she'll ask if — "

"Is this _really_ how you want our daughter to grow up? Thinking that a mother's place is in the kitchen? Because I don't. If I have learnt anything from my mother's job, it's that kids see their parents as their example of the world. If we make it normal that you are _the maid_, she'll grow up and think it's the norm. I don't want my kid to think a woman's place is in the kitchen. I don't believe that. _Y__ou_ don't believe that. She shouldn't grow up to believe that."

Ana smiled at him, not arguing with his logic before she told him that she would let him clean in that case, whilst she showered their daughter. She left him to his own devices, and what he had seen Ana do hundreds of time in a jiffy took him almost an hour. And though he had always enjoyed the comfort of living with maids, especially after he started living on his own, he hated to admit that it was a terrible feeling to not even know where the cleaning towels were in his own home.

After he finished cleaning the kitchen, Christian had to admit with a grimace that it didn't look as nice as when Ana did it. She had this knack of making it seem as if the kitchen had never been used, whereas it was obvious that people had just eaten after his cleaning of the place. He sourly thought he should have gotten the Taylors to come with him to New York, so Gail could clean up the place and he wouldn't feel like he was setting a bad example as a father. After all, he could hide behind the fact that it was Gail's job, after all.

Once he assessed that he couldn't do any better, he left the kitchen to go get ready, since he was apparently the only one who was still in his PJ's, even though it was barely nine in the morning (_on a weekend_ might he add), and as he passed in front of Grace's room, he saw Ana brushing her hair and lecturing the little girl.

"You have to be good today, okay? You're going to meet your father's mommy and daddy. So, you have to be polite and nice."

"But I _am_ a good girl."

"Of course you are, honey. But I want you to be on your best behaviour, okay?"

"Okay." Christian leaned against the doorframe, simply appreciating the simplicity of this moment. Neither of them seemed aware of his presence, and his eyes got lost in the repetitive motion of Ana passing the brush through Grace's soft curls.

Still, he remained focused on their conversation, especially when Grace asked with a serious and doubtful tone, "Do you think they will like me?"

"_Of course,_ they will like you. In fact, I know that they are very eager to meet you. I think that Christian's mommy might even bring you those cookies you keep talking about," Ana reassured their daughter, halting her brushing to kiss the young girl's cheek.

She started playing with Grace's hair, obviously trying to figure out which hairdo she would make, when the little girl asked with concern, "Why do you never talk about your mommy and daddy?"

For a moment, Christian completely forgot about Grace, all his attention on Ana, who had momentarily frozen. Though Ana didn't like talking about her past, Christian could tell that it was something that still impacted her. In fact, he was sure this was the reason why Ana always nagged him to spend time with his family. Because she didn't have one of her own.

He cleared his throat, revealing his presence to the girls, and as he hoped, Grace completely forgot about her question as soon as she saw him. She took the brush out of her mother's hand and rushed to Christian, asking with hope sparkling her blue eyes, "Can you do my hair?"

It was Christian's turn to freeze, but he agreed, thinking that it was a ridiculous thing to refuse his daughter something so simple. After all, Ana had just detangled her hair, so he just had to put a tie in it. It couldn't be that hard. Of course, that was before Grace added with a bright smile full of trust, "I want the same hair as Mama."

Christian swallowed with difficulty, looking at Ana's hair. It seemed to be a simple bun, with a few strands of hair going straight, but there was no sign of a hair tie or anything that would keep the hair in place like that. Ana encouragingly smiled at him, turning on herself so he could see her hairdo from all angles (which did not help, since it seemed the hair was staying up on its own), and she took her phone out of her pocket as soon as Christian started gathering Grace's hair up.

"What are you doing?" he hissed.

"Immortalising a father-daughter moment," she responded with cheek, and Christian refrained from retorting anything when he saw Grace smile brightly at that.

He struggled to create some sort of bun that admittedly looked nothing like Ana's, or like any hairdo that had ever been done, but Grace didn't seem to care. She beamed at the mirror and proudly asked her mother to take a picture of Christian and her. Then, she picked up a colouring book from the shelves and asked Christian if she could colour in it.

"Of course. Everything in this room is yours, sweetie."

"Thank you, Christian."

She sat on the floor, sticking her tongue out as she started colouring the small details within the line, and Christian opened his mouth to tell her she could colour at any table in the flat. But Ana shook her head and lead him out of the room as she explained to him that Grace liked to colour on the floor.

Christian nodded, and as he started going back to his room to get ready, she briefly stopped him to let him know, "You just brought one of her fantasies to life. We saw a movie before coming to the US, where the Dad brushes his daughter's hair, and she's been dreaming of that moment ever since."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Carrick and Grace Grey came shortly before lunch (that Christian had ordered from a famous Chinese restaurant), and as Christian had predicted, they arrived hands laden with presents. As soon as they got in, Grace's exuberance disappeared, replaced by the shyness she displayed the first time she saw Christian, and again at the restaurant on Friday.

Still, she did exactly as she had promised her Mom in the morning: she was nice and polite, making a point of saying hello, even though she was half-hiding behind Ana's legs. In fact, Christian thought that his daughter was warier now than when she'd first seen his parents. It was as if she had seen something she didn't like.

"Oh, you did your hair yourself," Christian's mother muse, trying to break the ice, but the young girl shook her head and explained,

"No. Christian did it for me."

"And it looks really good," Carrick encouraged, though both he and his wife had a small mocking glance in their son's direction, due to his poor hairstyling skills.

Young Grace politely accepted all the presents they had brought her. Books, puppets, a small guitar, board games and a doll with a whole wardrobe. Once his parents were done giving her all her gifts, Grace solemnly looked at them, and thanked them.

"Thank you, Mr Carrick and Mrs …" She stopped herself, furrowing her brows with uncertainty, and Grace smiled at her granddaughter as she reassured her, "You don't have to call me Grace, you can call me Nana if you want. I guess it would be weird for you since we have the same name."

The young girl nodded with a small smile and said, her voice still shy, "My mommy, she said that my name is Grace because your name is Grace. Because you are Christian's mommy."

"That's what she told me as well."

"But… I thought mommies were all like Mama."

Christian frowned, not understanding his daughter's trail of thoughts, and it seemed that he wasn't the only one, because his father asked, "What do you mean?"

Grace turned her head to Carrick as she explained, very sure of her logic, "My mommy doesn't have silver hair." Then, she turned back to Christian's mother, squinting her eyes as if she was on the verge of solving a secret mystery, "_Are you old_?"

Christian stifled a smile as his father hid his chuckle in a cough. Though Grace wore her grey hair proudly, she had always flattered herself on looking younger than she was. In fact, many people still thought that Julian and Jason were her actual kids, not her grandchildren. And in all objectivity, Christian had to admit that his mother did not look her age.

But still, Christian knew that, though she didn't show it, this question was a blow to his mother's ego. Luckily, she was sweet and welcoming as she answered the little girl.

"You could say so."

This did not seem to be the answer that young Grace had been hoping for. She opened her eyes wide with horror, and briefly glanced at her mother before returning her attention to Grace and questioning with panic, "Are you going to die?"

Christian glanced at Ana, the two of them finally understanding why their daughter had been so wary of his parents.

_After they finished dinner on Monday night, Ana let Grace know that she and Christian had something to tell her before she __went __to bed. Grace looked at them curiously, and though she didn't say it, Christian knew that she thought that what they had to tell her, concerned him. _

_But of course, it was anything but. The two brunettes sat on the sofa, and when Christian made a move to go to the armchair, Ana gently cleared her throat so he would sit on the other side of Grace. When he did, Ana picked her up on her knees, so their daughter could face them both, and let her know, _

_"You know, the reason I left you with Tio Jose last weekend was because I went to Los Angeles to see Grams."_

_"_**_Without me_**_?" Grace accused, clearly shocked and hurt that her mother had committed such treason. Christian watched Ana struggle to say exactly why she didn't take Grace with her, and he understood that even though she liked to appear strong, she was still strongly affected by Mary's death._

_So, he jumped in, in the hope to help her. "Well, the reason your mother didn't tell you anything is because Mary has moved on to a better place."_

_Grace turned her head to him, her blue eyes showing nothing but confusion. "She's gone to London?"_

_Christian glanced helplessly at Ana, and just by the small sigh she let out, he understood that she had never explained to their daughter the concept of the afterlife. With delicateness, Ana traced the contour of Grace's face, before she solemnly told her, "Grams died, honey. I went to Los Angeles so I could… bring part of her back to our home." She pointed with her chin at the small urn that she had put on a bookshelf. _

_Grace shook her head, still looking confused and the crease between her brows got deeper. "Did she have an accident?"_

_"No."_

_"So… she was killed by a bad person?"_

_"No. She was just old," Ana explained, though it didn't seem to be a good explanation to Grace. _

_"But… it's not _**_fair_**_. You can't just die because you're old. It's not normal."_

_"Honey … that's actually the norm. No one can live forever. When people get old, they die."_

_Christian felt that Ana was handling the situation very well because he had no idea what to say, or how to react when tears welled up in his daughter's blue eyes as she asked with panic, "Are _**_you_**_ going to die?" Ana shook her head reassuringly, but before she could give the little girl a comforting and logical explanation, Grace brought her hands to her face and added with horror, "Elena is going to die! She _**_is_**_ old! Her hair is all silver like Grams! You said old people have silver hair! I don't want Elena to die!"_

_Ana gently wiped away Grace's tears, though Christian could see she was at an impasse. The clear and obvious answer was for Ana to assure their daughter that Elena was not going to die. But it seemed that Ana was not willing to lie and make promises of things she had no control over, and so she cleared her throat and explained, "Usually, the people who die are _**_quite_**_ old. Sure, they have white hair, but they also have wrinkles, just like your Grams did. And they are grandparents. And they have already had a wonderful life. _

_I know it's sad, but that's why we spend a lot of time with the people we love. Just so we can remember them when they're gone and be happy that we have those memories of them."_

_"So, I don't have to forget about Grams? I can still remember her?"_

_"Of course. She will always be part of you, and not just because she is part of your second name. If you will remember her in your heart, you keep her alive. You won't be able to touch her or talk to her, but you will always feel her love in your heart."_

_Grace nodded, silent tears still slipping down her cheeks. Ana rocked her to sleep whilst Christian felt utterly useless. He had proposed to help Ana break the news but had been of no use whatsoever. Once Grace was asleep, Ana got up to put her to bed. And when she came back to the living room, Christian took her in his arms as he assured her, "You handled that very well. All I did was confuse her."_

_"No, you did well. It's just that she never asked about God and what happens after people die, and… well, I know I'm not the best person to answer those questions. Mary was supposed to take care of that. But I guess I'll have to ask Karl. He's pretty religious."_

_Christian nodded, not volunteering for this task since he was far from being the most religious person there. He believed there was a God, but that was it. _

_"Why was her first reaction to think about accidents and murders?"_

_"Probably because that's how people die in movies. It's rare to have someone die of old age in fiction, even for adult movies. Maybe we should all have a movie night some night and watch _**_Coco_**_. If I recall, the movie deals with grief beautifully, and it will answer the questions she might still have." _

Grace hadn't mentioned Mary since that day, and Christian had assumed that she had processed the information well. But now, it was obvious that Mary's death had still had quite an impact on the little girl. His mother glanced both at Ana and Christian, before giving her granddaughter a benevolent smile and assuring her, "I'm not that old, yet. And to be honest, I didn't get to spend enough time with you for me to die already."

"But … Mama said that when you have silver hair, it's because you're old. And she said that when you're old, you die. Right Mama?" Grace said, looking at her mother for confirmation, and Christian's mother seconded Ana's wise words.

"Your Mom is right; you do die when you get old."

"So, you're going to _die_!"

Christian watched with unease as his daughter's eyes welled up with tears once again, wondering why Ana didn't make a single move to comfort their little girl as she usually did when Grace cried. But then, as he watched his mother wrap her arms around the young brunette, he understood that Ana was just giving space to his parents so they could bond with their granddaughter.

His father moved to his side, and discreetly asked him, "Did someone recently die?"

Christian nodded, but before he could answer, it seemed that the young Grace had heard his question because she solemnly let him know, "My Grams died. And my Mommy said it was because she was old. And she had silver hair too."

Carrick crouched so he could be level with the little girl, and he took her hand in his as he announced, "Everybody dies. _Everybody_. And that's why we must enjoy every single moment that is given to us. So, when the person is gone to a better place, a part of them is still with us. In _here_."

He gently tapped her heart, making Grace smile bravely as she nodded and pointed out, "That's what Mama said. She said that Grams is still alive in my heart." Carrick smiled approvingly, though Christian caught the surprised way he glanced from Grace to Ana.

But he never had time to linger on it, because Grace seemed ready to tackle another topic that had been tickling parts of her brain. "What is this better place? Christian said the same thing Monday, but Mama said that Grams wasn't in London. Is there a better place than London?"

Christian's parents chuckled at that, clearly thinking the same thing the same as Christian: that there were many places far better than London. His mother gave Grace a sweet smile and promised her, "It's a _much_ better place. And we will tell you all about it some other day. But for today, I've heard that a certain little girl wanted some pumpkin cookies."

Grace's eyes suddenly got bright and wide with excitement as her grandmother reached for the bag they had brought all the presents in and took a Tupperware full of cookies out of it, though the little girl's glee was shortened when she realised, "Oh, but they just look like normal cookies."

"Haha, did you think they would look scary?" Carrick teased, and when Grace nodded, he let his wife know, "I told you that you should have made them like small pumpkins."

Grace looked at Ana, who gave her a smile with a significant look, and so the young girl took the box and said, "Thank you… Nana and… Mr Carrick."

"You can call me Pops."

"Pops," Grace brightly repeated with a small before she asked if anyone wanted cookies. Ana intervened, taking the box as she reminded Grace, "After lunch, honey. Otherwise, you won't eat anything."

Grace pouted slightly but did not argue, and as they all went to the dining table, Christian's mother betrayed him. "And anyway, you shouldn't share any with your father. He never shared his peanut butter cookies when he was a kid."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Over lunch, Christian saw his daughter quickly bond with his parents, her worries of them being old clearly forgotten, and though he was happy that she got used the idea of having grandparents so easily, a part of him was annoyed that she got so accustomed so fast. She was already calling them Nana and Pops, when he was still just Christian.

But he didn't let it show that it was bothering him. After all, Ana had promised that someday Grace would naturally call him Daddy, and he just needed to have faith in her word and be patient… Even if patience wasn't his strongest suit.

After lunch, Ana insisted that Grace should take a small nap, given the fact that she had gone to bed late the night before, and was most likely to do the same this evening, so Christian used the opportunity and called Mr Cho in Macau. It was the middle of the night there, but it was the best time to call him regarding their hotel-casino.

He stayed on the phone for an hour, just like he had done weekly before going over to the girls' apartment, talking about his profits, and what sorts of tactics they should use to bring in even more money. Throughout the whole call, which Christian had put on speaker, he had been sitting on his chair, his eyes closed and his hand partially covering his face.

Which was why he jumped out of his skin when the phone conference ended, and he saw his mother standing in his doorway. He regained control of his heartbeat as she walked in with a compassionate smile, and before she could say anything, he assured her, "I'm alright, Mom."

She gave him a look, clearly not believing him, and so he got out of his chair, claiming, "I swear."

Grace shook her head, her smile now all-knowing, and she pointed out, "You can be such a bad liar sometimes, I wonder how you've made it this far in your line of work."

Christian rolled his eyes, not willing to give his mother the satisfaction of being right, even if she might be.

"I have no idea what you're on about. I am perfectly fine."

Grace rested a comforting hand on his arm, and explained, "It's easier for her to call us Pops and Nana because that's how we presented ourselves, to begin with. She knew you as Christian before ever knowing that you were her daddy. It will come."

"It is what it is," he replied simply, not eager to start a therapy session with his mother. Still, he had recognised that, no matter how well he concealed his feelings toward the matter, his shrink of a mother knew in an instant what was wrong.

She seemed about to add something, when she refrained herself, and asked instead, "How about Ana? How are things with her? She seems a bit distant."

"Ana is _always_ a bit distant," he defended her because this was something he had noticed when they were together.

No matter how sweet, polite and charming Ana had been to his family, she never fully let them welcome her as Christian knew they wanted. Even being as close as she was with Elliot, Christian knew that Ana never completely let herself go with his brother, which he secretly liked. If he could be the only one with whom she would be comfortable being completely herself, he wouldn't mind at all.

Still, his mother voiced what he had suspected. "Yes, Ana has always been reserved around us. I'm not disputing that, though I'm sure today she did it so your father and I could bond with Grace, without her interfering." Christian smiled, and she added, "But what I meant was, how are things between you two?"

"I'm not talking about my love life with you, Mom. When have I ever done that?"

"True. I should have sent your father. But he's busy trying to convince Ana to let us bring Grace to our place for a weekend. Personally, I think it's a lost cause. It's too early, and Ana… it's too early."

Christian narrowed his eyes in his mother's direction, ready to bounce on what she had been about to say, but she simply shook her head and told him the best words a son could ever hear.

"For what it's worth, I think you're doing a great job, and so does your father. Sure, you started on the wrong foot, and many people had to knock some sense into you, but we can see that you've changed. It's a good change that will benefit you and this sweet child you're including in your life."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

That same night, after his parents left with the promise of coming back for lunch the next day and Grace was tucked in bed, tired from her long day with her grandparents, Christian and Ana got ready for bed. Of course, when Christian only bothered with slipping into pyjamas and brushing his teeth, he had to wait for Ana to brush and braid her hair, wash and moisturise her face and brush her teeth.

When she finally slipped in bed next to him, he took her in his arms, relishing in the sensation, and in the faint smell of coconut that her products had. Though he had told Ana that they would wait to out their relationship to their daughter, he had to admit that it was harder than he thought. He had always been a very tactful man when it came to his previous girlfriends, but having to keep a conscious distance with the woman he loved was not an easy feat.

For a moment, they just remained silent, Christian's nose lost in Ana's hair as his thumb was mindlessly caressing her smooth skin, and then, she let him know with a tired voice, "Grace definitely had a blast. Though, after today, I'm 100% that she will end up spoiled. Your father already promised to take her pony riding when she comes to Seattle. And of course, she tried to talk a puppy out of him."

He chuckled because Grace had mentioned getting a puppy as soon as he started coming to their place regularly. Ana had quickly reminded their daughter that as long as they were living in a flat, there would be no puppy.

"To be fair, my own grandmother always said that it was a grandparent's job to spoil their grandkid. And let's be honest, I'm sure you would never let her become a spoiled brat."

Ana didn't say a word, and he peppered kisses along the crook of her neck to appease her. The truth was, she was right. If Ana weren't there to place reasonable limits, Christian knew he would buy their daughter everything that passed through her mind, without a single hesitation.

He held her a bit closer for a brief second, before recalling something that had happened in the morning. "Ana… about what she said in the morning… about your parents."

"I'm okay. I just didn't expect her to ask that question. Which is stupid, she's been asking a lot of questions about your parents, I should have known my turn was right around the corner."

"I could hire someo— "

"I don't care about my past, Christian. There is no need to dig in it."

"I'm sorry, babe." He held her tight against him, and she leaned into his touch, understanding that he wasn't apologising per se, more being compassionate toward the fact that she didn't have any family.

Another silence loomed over them, and since he didn't want their last conversation before sleep to be about how Ana didn't have a family, he let her know, "By the way, I received an email from Ros today. She hired a couple of guys to take the load off, and I want to see if I can give them the blue light. Especially since one comes from another company."

Ros had hired two young men, Jamie and Theo, so she and Christian could train them. Theo was supposed to take her position in time, and Jamie was supposed to help him with his international affairs that had nothing to do with the company, as well as his own duties within GEH.

Ana turned so she could face him in the dark, and she asked, "When are you leaving?"

"They're starting next Monday. I want to see them in the morning…"

"You know she'll be disappointed, right?"

This particular Monday was to be Grace's first day at school (the very generous bribe Christian had given to Trinity had worked as he had hoped), and she had been very vocal about it. Especially about the uniform, that made her feel like she was doing important stuff, like Mama.

He grimaced, because this was the only way, and he asked, "I know. I was thinking that since you're so good at finding the right words to talk to her, you could— "

She cut him off with a small laugh. "I'm not telling her that you're missing her first day at school. You'll have to do that on your own, Christian." Then, she put her hand on his cheek, and said wisely, "Being a parent is also about delivering the bad news. I don't want to be the eternal bearer of bad news. Please, don't make me always be the bad cop."

He let out a sigh, frustrated that she was right, and asked, "Then, can we tell her together?" She kissed him, and so he pushed his luck.

"Now, about those cookies, I promised …"

"You should have told her no. Now, you're going to have to bake, and I will judge those cookies with the harshest criteria possible."

"Well, you could teach me, so I won't make a fool out of myself in front of our daughter."

"Nope," she said proudly, resuming her position so they could be spooning. Then she teased, "I'm not letting you turn this flat into the awesome place with the lava lamps and Toothless sofas and good food. My place can be small and plain, but she'll know that it's where her stomach will always be happy."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

When the girls came back next Friday, Christian took them out once again. In truth, though he loved Ana's cooking, he didn't want her to cook when they came to visit, so Grace wouldn't have this image of her mother always being behind a stove. Still, he had the joy of hearing Grace argue that they could live with Christian (where she had a ceiling looking like a starry night sky), and he clearly did not help Ana explain why they shouldn't live with him.

Contrarily to what he had expected, she wasn't that disappointed in the fact that he would miss her first day at school, though her blasé reaction tore his heart apart as she explained that she didn't expect him to be there and she was used to it. It was Ana who had to comfort him and promise to take a lot of pictures so he would feel as if he was there. Of course, Ana being Ana urged him to let Grace know that he was sad to miss her first day at school, but Christian felt that it would only be another kick if Grace just showed how indifferent she was in the matter.

Right now, it was the middle of the night and he was stirred by Ana at his side, trying to get out of his arms. He held her a bit closer, not bothering to open his eyes and muttered, "Babe?"

"Just go back to sleep, I'm just using the loo before getting back to my room."

That completely woke him up as she got out of the bed. He leaned on his elbow, and asked, "Why would you go back to that room? _This_ is your room, _our_ room."

"Don't you hear the wind and the rain?" She reasoned, before disappearing in his en suite bathroom, and Christian strained his ear to hear what she was referring to, though he couldn't understand why that meant they couldn't sleep together.

Though his question was answered the second it came to his mind. Thunder clapped, and he heard Grace yelp, calling out for her mother. He heard her barge into Ana's empty room, and now he understood why Ana was so eager to get back there; she had known that Grace would seek refuge in her bed as soon as the thunder exploded.

He got out of bed, knowing that Ana was still in the bathroom, but just as he put his hand on the doorknob, Grace was banging on his door. He opened it, and, eyes wide with terror, she asked, "Donde esta Mama?" _("Where is mom?")_

"I think she's using the bathroom," he let her know, just before thunder exploded outside again, making Grace yelp once more and grab his leg as she begged, "Puedo quedarme contigo? _Por favor_." (_Can I stay with you? _**_Please_**_?_)

"Of course." He took her hand, and together they went back to his bed, though Grace was trembling like a leaf.

Once she was in the middle of the bed, he reached to grab a tissue and dried her tears, and he couldn't help but compare his daughter to his brother. Elliot used to be terrified of storms and thunder and came to hide in Christian's bed, even though he was the big brother.

"No me gustan las tormentas," (_I don't like storms_) she confessed, seeking refuge in his arms, and Christian started distracting her by teaching her the days of the week in Chinese and French. He noticed in a corner of his mind that Grace automatically spoke Spanish when emotions ran high. She had done it when she had been excited to receive her gifts, and once again she was doing it out of fear.

She was in the middle of repeating her French days when Ana popped her head through his doorframe, a small smile spreading her lips when she saw their daughter in her father's arms. She cleared her throat, and Grace turned her head to her mother as the rain kept on falling heavily outside, as Ana stretched out her hand.

"Come on Grace. Let's go and give your father some rest."

Just at this instant, there was another crash of thunder, and Grace screeched, seeking refuge in Christian's arms, who smugly looked at Ana. "Por favor, podemos dormir contigo? Mama y yo?" (_Please can we sleep with you? Mama and I_?)

"Of course, sweetie. Scooch on over so your mother has some space to come in."

Grace got more comfortable in his arms as Ana climbed into bed, and though the young girl did not leave him to go to Ana, she still took her mother's hand in hers. "Mama, are you going to make French toast, even if we're not home?"

"Of course, honey. I'll even buy raspberries to put on top, okay?"

"Gracias. You know, Christian, Mama makes French toasts when I have a nightmare, or when there is a storm."

Christian nodded, though part of his brain was preoccupied with the fact that, though Grace wouldn't mind staying here with him as she had already told Ana, it wasn't her home yet. Just like her first instincts had been to barge into Ana's room, but when she came to him, she still felt the need to knock first.

She tore him out of his overthinking by asking, "You'll protect us, right Christian? You won't let the storm hurt us?"

"No, I won't. I'll always be there for you and your Mom."

She smiled, convinced by his words, and quickly fell asleep, still in his arms whilst holding her mother's hand. And if before he liked sleeping with Ana in his arms, it was nothing compared to sleeping with their daughter in his arms. Having Grace trusting in him to protect her, and soundly sleeping against him was the best feeling in the world, and he wouldn't trade it for anything.

Of course, Ana had to try and be reasonable about it, and once again, she got out of bed for no reason, though this time, she reached to take Grace in her arms.

"_What are you doing_?" He hissed in a whisper.

"Putting her back to her bed."

"Are you _insane_?"

"I'm just being pragmatic," she said in a whisper with an all-knowing tone. Christian held their daughter a bit closer to him, preventing Ana from ruining the moment, and he softly reminded her, "She asked to sleep with me."

"Okay," she agreed, though she did not make a move to get back to bed. On the contrary, she started to walk away.

"_What are you doing_?"

"I'm going back to bed."

"Didn't you hear her? She asked for the both of us."

"I've had a long week, Christian and — "

"It's our first night together. As a family."

He knew it was a low blow because Ana was obviously going to give in, but he didn't feel any guilt using it. He watched her sigh out of surrender and get back to bed where he grabbed her hand so the three of them could sleep together for the first time. As a family.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, part 2 is over, and the fluffiness is still here, I'm getting so emotional over this, haha. It's just so cute. I'm sure you all loved that cuteness overload …**

💚**Now question time,**

**1\. How do you feel about Grace asking Ana about her parents? **

**2\. And cookies are coming … Are they even going to be any good? Ana doesn't seem to think so…**

**3\. And finally, Grace met her grandparents. Just so you know, from now on, big Grace will be referred to as Nana, because I am lazy like that, haha **

**4\. How do you feel about Grace not really bothered by Christian missing her first day of school?**

**5\. How do you feel about Grace's reaction to May's death? And, of course, what was your favourite Grace moment?**

**6\. And what do you think of Christian's reaction to the maid thing?**

**7\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? Mine was Christian struggling to do his daughter's hair. **

**8\. And what do you think will happen in part2? **

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	13. Chapter 11: Poppies

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

‼️**ABOUT THE REVIEWS**‼️

**1\. So, EVERYONE is annoyed at Ana about the ending of the last chapter … Well, I hope you will understand a bit more her motives in this chapter. And remember, she didn't fight Christian much, so she wanted it as well, there was just this one thing why she tried to disturb that perfect image.**

**2\. And one of you killed me. Wkwk. You have no trust in me. sometimes, I can write sweet and fluffy stories … _sometimes_. **

**3\. And yes, we can all agree, Grace is cute. And we can't wait for her to call her father, Daddy … that might happen soon … **

**4\. And for those feeling Ana is keeping her guard up on purpose, there is a very small, tiny hint whether she does or not. And this hint will be explored further in the next chapter. **

‼️**DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW**‼️

**Love, Mina **💚💚💚

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy**💚

**Chapter 11: Poppies (5,1K)**

**About this title, Poppies are the flowers of remembrance, but also of wild imagination, beauty, extravagance and success. It may seem as off-topic, but seeds (pun non-intended) are planted in this chapter that shall sprout later in the story… **

Christian woke up the next morning with barely an hour of sleep under his belt. The sun was nearly up, but as Grace moved yet again and unknowingly slapped him, he decided to finally get up. Now, he understood why Ana had insisted on taking their daughter back to her own room. This was by far the worst night he ever had, and any feeling of peace and wellbeing he felt about the idea of sleeping with his daughter was completely gone.

Not only did she talk in her sleep like her mother did, but she moved as if she was practising some form of martial arts in her sleep. At first, he had thought that she would calm down and remain still once she fell into a deeper sleep, but every time he himself had started falling asleep, he received a kick in the stomach or a slap in the face. And on top of that, she emanated heat like a nuclear core. Several times throughout the night he woke up because of a heatwave (the rare occurrence when he wasn't hit by his daughter).

He got out of bed, making sure that Grace was properly tucked in as he saw, unsurprisingly, that Ana's side of the bed was empty, and a small smile spread his lips. No matter how terrible of a night it had been, he couldn't stay mad at Grace.

He pondered on the idea of working for the couple of hours of quiet he had before Grace woke up, but when he smelled food, he decided otherwise. He went to the kitchen and found Ana in front of the stove, making French toasts and shaking her ass to the music that was playing on low volume. Without thinking about it, he went to her and hugged her from behind, kissing her neck and whined, "Remind me to never question you again."

"How was your first family sleep?" She asked with a smug chuckle, and he tightened his hold on her as she flipped the French toast.

"I learned my lesson. From now on, I will always listen to you," he promised, staying in the same position as he softly kissed her neck.

"Well, at least now you are in the club of parents who have had sleepless nights because of their kids' antics."

"This was the worst night of sleep I have ever had."

She chuckled again, and got out of his embrace, only to present him with a glass of freshly pressed orange juice. "Here, I'm sure this will wake you up."

He took the glass and kissed her cheek before leaning against the counter as she kept making French toasts. He mindlessly took a sip, all the while thinking that the orange juice was not going to be enough, and he would have to start a pot of coffee. But as soon as the drink was in his oesophagus, he felt like he was drinking fire.

He coughed, almost letting go of the glass and staring at Ana, with her small smug smirk that hadn't disappeared.

"_What is that_?" He asked because it was anything but orange juice since that didn't burn one's throat!

"Two oranges, a finger of ginger, and a pinch of cayenne pepper."

"Oh, so after I was deprived of sleep, you thought the best way to wake me up was to try and kill me?"

She laughed and switched off the gas under her pan before putting the stack of French toasts in a warm oven. "Well, you're awake, now, aren't you? You should drink it all, it will give you a boost for the rest of the day."

"And what's wrong with good old American coffee, instead of witch concoctions that burn a hole in my throat?"

She shrugged, but Christian saw the playfulness disappear from her eyes. He watched as she uselessly busied herself cleaning the utensils she had used to make breakfast; after all, he had told her that he had a maid and that he would rather if she didn't do any domestic tasks when she was at his place. When she passed by him another time, he stopped her, his eyes asking what was wrong.

She smiled sweetly and pecked his lips, before regaining possession of her arm and keeping at her useless task, though this time she explained, "It's just that it took months for Grace to sleep throughout the night, or even four hours straight. And I couldn't decently drink coffee or otherwise, I would have ended up with a super active baby. So… well, I did my research, and this drink came up. And it's extremely healthy, full of vitamins and nutrients."

For a moment Christian remained silent, continuing to drink his devil drink as the burn wasn't so bad now that he was expecting it. His eyes remained on Ana, who was now setting the table for breakfast. She was still in her pyjamas, an overlarge shirt with some baggy trousers, and he remembered how she used to always sleep in sateen-like materials. Or at least when she was sleeping by his side.

"Ana… I know I missed a lot. But… you shouldn't always try to spare my feelings. You should tell me of the hard times you had. Isn't it what we want? An open and honest relationship?"

"You're right. I'm sorry. I'm just … I've just never gotten used to relying on people."

"Tell me about it," he retorted, rolling his eyes.

They both sat at the breakfast table, drinking their fiery orange juice as the sun kept rising on the horizon, and Ana noticed, "You and your views."

"I like what's beautiful," he admitted, glancing her way and looking at a whole other kind of beauty created by Mother Nature.

"Does that mean that you always intend on living in apartments? You can't really get skyscraper views from a nice house in the suburbs."

"Do _you_ want a nice house in the suburbs? Because I can get Andrea to find us a house in the Hamptons."

"First of all, it's ridiculous. Grace is about to start school here in Manhattan. Secondly, that's not what I said. I asked about you. I never said anything about me."

"I know. I'm the one asking about you. I never really cared about where I slept, as long as I had a nice view over breakfast."

_Christian hated coming to New York, but no matter how many times he had tried, he had never been able to make Raymond Wilks move to Seattle. Even with the sweet promise of a fifty per cent salary bump and all expenses covered for the first year. He couldn't understand why his lawyer liked this city so much. _

_ But since the man was refusing to move, he had to come to this ratchet city every time he would travel internationally for a new contract, or when he was taking over some other less fortunate company. Still, over the past few months, something pleasant had come out of his frequent visits to Esclava. _**_The breakfast._**

_Christian had always come to Esclava because it offered the best view in the city, and the service was always impeccable. He even started renting the penthouse permanently when he realised that he had many impromptu visits over the year, and he didn't want to be relegated to some other room. It wasn't the room that mattered to him, but the view._

_ No matter where he was in the world, he always allowed himself a couple of minutes at some point during the day to overlook the scenery and just enjoy the view. Usually, __when __he was in New York, he did it over breakfast, and this was where the pleasant change came in place. _

_ Over the many years he had been using this hotel as a second residence, Madame Elena and he had come to an arrangement. She would get the person responsible for room service to deliver the food whilst he was in the shower (or the gym, depending on his mood) and they would leave the food by the coffee table. _

_ But one day, unexpectedly, his breakfast tray had been set at the table that overlooked New York, saving him the bother __of doing __it himself. He never asked Elena to change anything in their routine, so he assumed that it was an initiative that came from the person delivering the room service. After all, his work papers were always on that table. _

_ And over the months that followed, he often had sweet little surprises. The extra bottle of mineral water when he would arrive in New York, the little vase with flowers that would come occasionally, the little cards when it was a national holiday. And though he never instructed Elena__ on these details__, and they were bumps in his neatly planned routine, they were very welcome. _

_ In fact, he had managed to find a pattern and find out that whoever was __leaving __those little __details __for him was not working on certain days, because the tray would be on the coffee table on those days, bland and insipid. But the fact remained, the person responsible for the room service in Esclava was making his trips to New York slightly more pleasant. _

Christian shook himself out of the memory, thinking of how Ana had always been selfless, even when she didn't know him, and he was simply a faceless client of a hotel she worked for. He never really saw it like that before, but now that he was remembering those times, he realised that Ana had always been a giver more than a taker.

It was something that seemed deeply seated inside her. For instance, she loved to give presents to people, himself included, but always fussed when it was her turn to receive presents. She had always been involved in charity, giving everything she had for those less fortunate than her. The rare times they walked together in the streets, Ana had always stopped to give what she had to homeless people, even though she was already giving her time at the shelter. And even now, she was always trying to spare his feelings, and make sure that Grace and he developed a proper relationship. Even sexually, every time they had been intimate, he had to assert that _he_ wanted to give more than receive for her to let him lead. Though he didn't complain about the outcome of Friday afternoon.

He was torn out of his thoughts by Grace running to the kitchen, calling out for both Ana and him, her eyes still heavy with sleep. Ana got up and kissed her daughter good morning, asking her if she slept well.

"Yes. But then I woke up and you two left me all alone. Christian's bed is too big for one person. Why do you have such a big bed?" She accused, not understanding his need for a bed so big.

"It's so you can jump in bed when a storm comes in."

The little girl nodded as her mother sat her at the table, and she let Christian know, as if sharing a secret, "Mama always puts me back in my bed. Her bed is bigger than mine, but it's not as big as yours."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

For the rest of the morning, Christian spent time with the girls, though he categorically refused to put on the green 'goop'. Apparently, it was a tradition that they did over the weekend: they pampered themselves over a movie, and since they had missed it the past weekend, Ana didn't want Grace to think that coming to his place meant messing up their routine. So, he watched _Coco _with them, and as Ana had said, it dealt very well with the concept of death and after-life. In fact, Christian was surprised that a children's cartoon had based its entire plot on death.

Still, he appreciated the movie and even more watching his girls pamper themselves. Ana made sure that they did it all: they both had their hair wrapped up in a towel, with some hair mask beneath it. They both had their green clay on their faces, and their toes spread by some spongy device so they could easily cut their nails. And of course, they were in bathrobes, drinking some celery juice (with a stick in each of their glasses, obviously)

Ana had tried to get Christian to join them, but he thanked his lucky stars that he had gotten ready early and therefore could claim there was no use in him doing it. Which earned him a very judgmental look from his daughter as she declared that he would not get glowing skin if he didn't put the green mud on.

And to make it worse, halfway through the movie, Ana received a picture of Jose and Karl doing the exact same thing as them, though Christian doubted the married couple were watching a cartoon. Ana let him know that they'd been sending each other pictures of their spa day for almost three years now and that Grace always liked the idea that her Godparents were doing the same thing as her at the same time.

When the movie was over, the girls went to take a bath together, and Christian ordered them lunch. He was rather nervous about this afternoon because Ana was going to use the pool of his building and leave him alone with Grace. Sure, she would be napping for most of the time (given the fact that she had woke up too early according to Ana), but still, what happened the last time was still very vivid in his mind. The only reassuring thought was that Grace knew him a bit better and had trusted him enough the previous night to sleep in his arms (albeit completely depriving _him_ of sleep).

So, after lunch, Ana tucked their daughter in for a nap and explained to her that she was going to go out for a bit, so when Grace would wake up, it would be just Christian and her.

"But you're coming back, right? You're not leaving me?"

"Of course not, honey. I just want to give you some alone time with your father. After all, the two of you did promise me some cookies."

Grace sat up in her bed, looking at her mother as if Ana had committed the worst treason in history, "But… I thought you were going to help us a little. You said I was not allowed to go near the oven."

"Oh …" Ana took a pensive pose, though she was hiding a little smirk. "And here I thought dads were grownups and could use ovens. I guess I was wrong."

Grace pouted, and just the way she scrunched her face, looking for something to retort showed to Christian that this had just been the excuse from his daughter to get her mother to help with the cookies. And he wished that she had succeeded, because, although the recipe he found online promised to be simple and easy, he couldn't help but feel that it was going to be a disaster.

"But … what if Christian needs your help? Christian? Do you know how to make the oven hot? Mama said it is important."

"Come on, now, Grace. I thought you said you wanted to spend time alone with your father."

"But it doesn't mean _you_ have to go away."

"I'll be barely five minutes away. Like that, you'll get to tell your father all about your Halloween costume."

Christian watched his daughter make one last attempt to make her mother stay, and he couldn't help but think that maybe it was a bad idea for Ana to leave them alone. It seemed that, though Grace relied on him to protect her from the storm in her sleep, she wasn't ready to be completely alone with him yet.

Which was why, as soon as Ana closed the door of their daughter's bedroom, he let her know about his doubts concerning her plans. "Maybe you should stay. She doesn't seem so — "

"Grace always questions everything. When we came to New York, she asked a thousand questions before getting in the plane. Plus, I thought you were looking forward to spending time with her?"

"I am. But she isn't. And I don't want her to cry because of me, again."

"She won't cry. She'll tell you all about her Halloween plans, and she'll ask plenty of questions, and the two of you will bond."

"What's wrong with the _three of us_ bonding together? This morning was nice."

Ana smiled, going to their room to get her swimming bag, apparently determined to let their daughter cry in Christian's arms when it could so easily be prevented.

"I was wondering, if Grace had asked you to put the clay mask on this morning, would you have refused?"

"Well, she didn't. And don't go planting the idea in her head. So, you're really going?"

She put down the bag on the bed, and planted her bright blue eyes on his, as she softly said, "I can stay if that's what you really want. I just thought you were man enough to accept this challenge to spend some time with your daughter and show her that you want to be with her, as her father, not just a friendly neighbour or something."

Christian narrowed his eyes at her, perfectly aware of what she just did. For a moment, he even wondered if his mother had taught Ana this tactic, for it was so sneaky. And though he would love nothing more than to ask her to stay, just as a safety measure, his ego made him shake his head. He couldn't bear the idea of Ana thinking that he wasn't man enough, even if he was fully aware that she was just using reverse psychology on him.

Ana picked her bag back up, and kissed his lips sweetly, before she left the apartment, saying that she would be back in a couple of hours. He watched her go, his eyes lingering on her ass until the doors of the elevator closed, and he went to his office so he could call Mr Cho whilst Grace was still sleeping.

As per usual, Cho tried to convince Christian to come to Macau since he hadn't been there in months. He used to go every six weeks, but since Ana had returned to his life, he had to rely more on videoconferencing. Christian ignored the Chinese man, staying in his usual position (his right hand half-covering his face whilst his eyes were closed, and his elbow was on the armrest) as he asked about the latest hire.

But Cho was interrupted by a small voice asking, "I finished sleeping, Christian. May I have some water?"

Christian snapped his eyes open, seeing Grace rub her eyes as she stood in the doorway of his office. He had left the door open on purpose, just so he could hear if something happened. But he had been so absorbed in his conversation with his business partner, that he didn't hear Grace wake up.

He quickly checked the time in on his watch, seeing that she only slept for forty-five minutes, and he ignored Cho's surprised look, as he told him in Chinese that he would be back promptly. Then, he smiled at his daughter and got out of his chair. As he walked to the kitchen, he remembered how Ana had a whole lecture over breakfast about how politeness dictated that Grace should use 'may' over 'can' and how Grace seemed to take it very seriously.

He poured some water from the fridge into a glass, but when he turned around to give it to the young girl, he noticed that she hadn't followed him. He first checked her room, but she was nowhere in sight, so he went back to his office, and he found her sitting in his chair, giggling at the screen.

Christian walked to her, giving her the glass of water, and she brightly smiled at him, as she asked, "Did you know that Huang spoke Chinese? He said he could teach me!"

He glanced at the screen, where Cho gave him a meaningful look. Christian had never actually told anyone about his new status as a family man. He had thought that the world would know when he finally made a statement and that he wouldn't bother telling each person he knew personally. His family knew, and so did Ros, he didn't need to bother with any more people.

"I'll call you back, tonight, Cho," Christian said simply, before ending the video under Grace's disappointed pout. He felt bad, and so he explained, "He is just a work colleague."

"Are you mad at me?"

"No. Why would I be mad at you?"

"Because you look mad. I wasn't supposed to come in here, right?"

"No, sweetie. You can go in any room you'd like. I want this to become your home too. In fact, you don't even have to knock if you want to see me."

Grace nodded, but he could tell by the frown between her brows that she still wasn't convinced, and so he awkwardly said, "I… I just thought we could make those cookies?"

That ought to make her smile. She jumped out of his chair, and carefully took the glass of water in her hand, whilst taking his hand with her other, and they both went to the kitchen.

"I have to warn you, I've never made cookies before."

"_Never_? But you're a grownup!"

"I know. I just always had someone to make them for me. It will be our first time, the two of us."

"I've made cookies with Mama. It's okay, I'll show you," she confidently reassured him, a small sense of pride in her strut as Christian took the ingredients out of the pantry.

They both washed their hands and preheated the oven before mixing the flour and brown sugar, though, last second, Grace decided to add a box of coconut flakes as well, because she loved coconut.

"You know, Mama always smells like coconut before going to bed."

"I know."

"How do _you_ know?" She asked, squinting her eyes with suspicion.

"Well… she used to smell like coconut before too when going to bed," he somehow explained, hoping that Grace wouldn't try to dig deeper.

"Did you sleep together with my mommy before? When she was living in New York?" She asked with shock as they finished mixing the dry ingredients together.

"Well… yes."

Once again, Grace squinted suspicious eyes in his direction, and Christian cleared his throat, feeling as if he was a kid again, remembering the times when his parents would interrogate him on something he didn't want to be questioned on. So, he redirected them to the recipe.

"How do you feel about adding peanut butter? I love peanut butter."

"You do?"

He winked, and plunged a spoon in the jar, before giving it to Grace, who took it as if he had just given her the Holy Grail. She licked the spoon clean, and Christian did just the same with his own spoon.

"Mama never lets me have the ingredients when we cook. She says it's… '_not good eating habits'_."

Though Christian agreed with Ana, he couldn't let the occasion of eating peanut butter pass. And he doubted that one spoon of peanut butter would affect Grace's eating habits so much.

"Well, once in a while, it's good to splurge."

"What is splurge?"

"It's… when you spoil yourself," he explained as best he could, and Grace smiled brightly.

"I like splurge with you."

"I like splurging with you," he corrected, and when she repeated the correct sentence, they added the chocolate chunks, though they added more than the recipe asked for since Grace said she loved chocolate as well.

"Oh? Can we add glitter? Uncle Karl always adds glitter in his cookies!"

Christian looked through the pantry to see if he had cooking glitter, vaguely remembering that the cookie he ate a couple of weeks ago did seem sparkly, and once he miraculously found some, they added the whole box to the batter (so the cookies would be extra glittery).

As they formed the small balls for the cookies, Grace excitedly told her father, "You know, this year for Halloween, Mama said we would go as Wednesday and Morti… Morticia Addams."

"Are you?"

"Yes. Wednesday is so cool, you know. She wears a black dress, so Mama said I would get a very black dress and very black hair. And she said that for once, I can wear makeup. And I will have to not smile because she doesn't smile, does she? So, I will make my face like that."

She put on a serious face that made her father chuckle before he eased the crease in her eyebrow with his thumb and helped her with her look. "Oh, Wednesday doesn't get serious. She is just indifferent. You should look at people as if they were just as interesting as the socks you wore three days ago."

"Like that?" This time, she put on an indifferent face, with a hint of blasé, and Christian congratulated her.

They put the cookies in the oven, both proud that they looked decent, and of course, they ate a bit of the dough before they sat on the couch, waiting for the cookies to bake. Ana had been right, Grace asked many questions and talked a lot, not that Christian minded, but when she started telling him how excited she was about school starting in two days, he swallowed with difficulty and tried to do things Ana's way.

"I'm really sorry that I'm missing your first day of school. But I'll make sure to call you that night so you can tell me all about it."

"But… you're _busy_. That's why you're not always here. That's why it was just Mama and me before."

Christian frowned, before hesitantly reaching for Grace. She did protest when he took her in his arms, and so he took her on his lap instead, like he had seen Ana do so many times before.

"I am busy, but so is your mother, and yet she is always here for you. I'm sorry I wasn't there before, I was stupid then, but… I promised you I'd be here, and I am trying my best. It's just that… sometimes I am still a bit stupid."

"Mama said stupid is not a nice word," Grace pointed out, and Christian smiled sadly, before admitting, "She's right."

The oven dinged, and so they got up and checked on the cookies, though Christian found them looking far less appealing than what the recipe he found online promised. They decided to wait for them to cool down a bit, and as Christian carefully took them off the tray, Grace asked, "Christian? Do you like my mommy?"

"Of course I do. Why would you think otherwise?"

"But… why don't you live with us? You said you like me the night you gave me the big teddy bear. And now you say you like my mommy. So, why do you have your own home?"

For a moment, Christian was tempted to lie, or at least cover up the truth, but Grace was looking at him with such big trusting eyes that he confessed to her, "I just messed up, sweetie. I… it's my fault that we took so long to meet, and… Well, I did some things that made your mommy sad, and afterwards, I _didn't_ do some things, which made her even sadder. But I'm working on it."

"So, you _want_ to live with us, right?"

He kissed her cheek, assuring her that this was indeed what he wanted, and Grace slightly pursed her lips, in that way that showed she was trying to solve a mystery. "You know what, Christian? I'm sure that if you told Mama, she would let you come live with us."

"I'm working on it, sweetie," he repeated. "I just think your mother doesn't want me to make you sad like I made her sad."

Grace rolled her eyes, unaware of the history between her parents. "You said yesterday you were going to protect us. You can't make the people you protect, sad."

"That's true. Well, do me a favour. Let's just keep this between us, and I promise that I'll do everything I can for us to all live together."

"Like a family?"

"Like a family," he vowed.

Grace gave him one of her brightest smiles, and they both decided that it was time for them to try their cookies. Christian poured them each a glass of milk, and they brought the cookies to the living room, Grace victoriously humming one of the songs from the cartoon they had watched in the morning. She sat on the floor, and so Christian did the same as she told him, "I really like this song from the movie. And I will always make sure to remember Grams, so she can stay in the Land of the Dead forever. Mama said we will put her picture next to her little vase."

Christian smiled at the young girl, glad that for once, Grace was talking about the late elderly lady with a smile, instead of crying, and they both dipped their cookies in the milk before trying them… which was a horrendous mistake.

They were far too dry, and it seemed that the mix of all the tasty flavours and glitter had made them… unsavoury. Grace turned her head to her father, with the same expression as he was probably harbouring, and Christian looked at the plate of all those failed cookies.

"What did we do wrong? We just put good things in them. Mama always makes the cookies nice. And soft."

"Maybe Mama doesn't put a whole box of glitter, and coconut in the batter," Ana said wisely from behind them, her wet chestnut hair falling freely around her face.

As soon as he saw her, Christian snatched the cookies away, refusing for her to taste the foul things they made, and it seemed that Grace was with him, because she tried to hide to cookies as well. Ana knowingly chuckled and raised her hands in peace.

"Okay, I won't have any. But I do want a picture of my two bakers and their infamous cookies."

And though they should have been ashamed of their failed attempt at baking, both Grace and Christian sported a proud smile, each having an arm around the other while the pitiful cookies stood between them.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, let's be honest, ii have been so good lately. All those cute and fluffy updates. Just so good, haha. And they warm my non-existent heart. The cuteness ... **

💚**Now question time,**

**1\. How do you feel about Ana, now? Is she still on your blacklist?**

**2\. And the cookies, haha. Yes, they failed, as Ana knew they would, because they can't stick to a recipe, and Christian can't say no to his daughter XD. But I think I enjoyed the convo Christian had with Grace.**

**3\. And for those who haven't seen COCO, first of all, check it out, kid or not that movie is beautiful. Second, the Spanish version of one of the songs is going to be of some importance in the next chapter. If you've seen the movie, you know which one, otherwise, I will let you know in the next chapter. **

**4\. Now, the spa morning was also cute, and kind of important ... And Jose will be sort of back next chapter ... sort of**

**5\. What was your favourite Grace moment?**

**6\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? Mine was Christian admitting that Ana was right. **

**7\. And what do you think will happen in part2? **

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	14. Chapter 12: New Luster and White Lilac

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

‼️**ABOUT THE REVIEWS**‼️

**1\. So, I am dead to the world, and though I have many things to say about this, it has been a very very busy week at work. I am going to get to bed, and hope to wake up with all your love and reviews ^^**

**‼️DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW‼️**

**💚 Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy 💚**

**Chapter 12: New Luster and White Lilac (9,5K)**

**New luster is one of the rarest gemstones in the world, and it represents Ana and the fact that she is quite rare to Christian. As for the white lilac, it represents youthfulness, innocence and purity, and as you know, the flowers are for Ana.**

**Love, Mina **💚💚💚

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

**Looks like someone forgot his tie under my bed ... Are you trying to mark your territory, Mr Grey? Because this kind of behaviour is the reason why I keep saying that you are a caveman **😏😏😏** ~ Ana**

Christian looked at the picture that Ana had sent him, with his tie peeking out from under her bed, and he couldn't help but grin. Of course, this did not help with his morning boner, especially since the text message was the first thing he saw after waking up on this Monday morning.

In fact, he was very tempted to just masturbate at the memory of what happened on Friday afternoon, but he liked the idea that he could control his urges, no matter how strong they could get. Still, that didn't stop him from staying in bed for a little while and reminiscing about what had happened on the previous Friday.

**_Hey. Would it be possible for you to come a couple of hours earlier than planned? I would really appreciate it. ~ Ana _**

**_Come? I thought you girls were the one coming. I made reservations for tonight. Plus, I made sure that the fridge would be stocked up on raspberries. ~ Christian _**

**_We're still coming, don't worry. I just thought we could spend some time together before going to your fancy restaurant. ~ Ana _**

_In all honesty, Christian was no longer at his office, but he was still working from home, his mind on a deal he was trying to close in France. If he were to listen to himself, he would just tell Ana that they would meet for dinner, since he and the girls would have the whole weekend to spend time together. But there was this small voice reminding him that the last time Ana asked to spend time with him, and he refused, she flew to England afterwards, and it took him four years to see her and learn about his daughter. _

_Ana never asked for his time, though he knew that it was the thing she appreciated the most about him. It wasn't his money, it wasn't his looks (though she clearly appreciated that as well), it wasn't his mentorship. Whether it was now, or five years ago, Ana had always only wanted his time. _

_So he took it upon himself __to __postpone his reading of the deal, so he could go see his two brunettes a little earlier than planned. After all, he was supposed to pick them up with Sawyer at 7 pm, and it was almost 5. It was only two hours. He told Sawyer to drop him off, and just stay in the neighbourhood before drop__ping__ them at the restaurant, and once again, he wished Ana could drive. He could drive himself, but he despised driving in New York. And moreover, he had a couple of glasses of wine over lunch with Raymond. _

_Every time he had seen Raymond for work since he took up residence in New York, he had the hope that Ana would join since she was working with the man, and Christian knew that Raymond highly valued her as a lawyer. But it seemed that Ana was determined to keep their personal and professional lives separate. In fact, whenever he had dropped by Raymond's office, he had never seen her. _

_Once in front of her building, he was again reminded of the lack of concierge and poor security measures he deplored about the building. Criticising it in his mind once again, he went to the apartment. She had given him a spare key when they returned from LA, and he had used it every night when he came to have dinner with the girls. And every time he had used the key, the phrase '_**_Honey, I'm home'_**_ had been burning on his lips. It wasn't much that he wanted to be that much of a cliché, but he wanted to know how it felt._

_Usually, Grace would run up to him, all excited to share her day, but this time, she was nowhere in sight. He called for the girls, and Ana came from the corridor that was leading to the bedrooms, in nothing but a black and red negligé. His eyes followed the curve of her breast, so well defined by the red outline of the tissue, and he followed the black slit on her stomach, clashing with the red undergarment that she was wearing. _

_After a long minute of him silently taking her in, Christian cleared his throat like a teenager, glancing around as he reminded Ana (but mostly himself), "Where is Grace?"_

_"Jose came up with this wonderful idea of taking her for a movie, so the two of us could... _**_talk_**_. Well, that or..." She wiggled her eyebrows at him, and before any of the information could reach his brain, he was already making his way to her, infinitely thanking Jose and his wisdom. _

_Ana giggled, and bolted out of his reach, rushing to her room, and he effortlessly followed her there, closing the door behind him so she couldn't try to escape. She playfully looked at him from head to toe, as he took in that she had lit a few scented candles and closed the curtains to give __a __subdued light to her room, and when she suggestively sat on her bed, he made his way to her while loosening his tie. _

_He leaned in to kiss her, and she wrapped her hands around his neck to return his kiss, all the while laying down on the mattress and taking him with her. Christian smiled, breaking their kiss to take her lower lip between his teeth whilst one of his hands enjoyed the silky texture of the negligé against her skin. _

_Ana's hand softly left his neck, so she could cup his face, and resume their kissing, and for a while, they just enjoyed making out on the bed before he tried to lay on top of her, instead of resting his weight on his left hand. As soon as he did, Ana made them roll, so she could be on top of him, her lips never leaving his. _

_When they finally broke their kiss to get some air, Ana was straddling him, hands going up and down his chest as she pointed out, "How is it fair that I am wearing next to nothing, and you still have so many clothes on?"_

_Then, she undid his tie, and __discarded __it, before unbuttoning his shirt and kissing his neck. Christian helped her get rid of his jacket and shirt, before trying to lay her back on the mattress, but she didn't let him. He opened his mouth, but she put her finger on his lips to silence him. _

_"Last time, you wanted to give all the pleasures. This time, you have to lay back and enjoy."_

_She started kissing her way down, her fingers already on his trousers to undo his belt, and he tried to reason, "Ana, babe... I just — "_

_"How about you stop thinking like a caveman, and just _**_enjoy_**_ the moment? Or are you really going to refuse a blowjob?"_

_This was all he needed to stop arguing, and he just closed his eyes as she yanked his trousers down, as well as his briefs. At first, she just played with him, her hands going up and down his shaft whilst his nerves were becoming increasingly aware of the littlest thing. Like her breath on his lower stomach, or her hair tickling his thighs. And _**_finally,_**_ she took him in her mouth, and he let out a loud moan as he lifted himself to get as deep as he could. _

_Without being aware of it, he brought his hand to her chestnut hair and lost his fingers in her mane. He swore under his breath as she went up and down, hollowing her cheeks so she could create suction and using her hand to masturbate the part of him her mouth couldn't access. _

_Once or twice, she choked a little, but the 'caveman' in him didn't really mind. It meant that he was bigger than she could handle. In fact, he could easily see just losing himself in the moment, and finishing in her mouth if she kept going like that. Which was why he said her name with a ragged breath, trying to get her to stop, _

_"Babe. I don't want this to be over too soon."_

_Ana smiled victoriously, and kissed her way up, her hand still jerking him off, and as soon as her face was at his level, he savagely kissed her with passion. Once again, he tried to be on top of her, and she still didn't let him, breaking their kiss to stand up and go to her nightstand, looking for a condom._

_He just watched her, his grey eyes not sure where to linger. Her ass, her breasts, her face. It was as if he would never get enough of her. She caught his stare and raised an eyebrow at him. "I don't know about you, but I don't really get kinky with shoes and socks."_

_In barely a second, he kicked his shoes and trousers out of the way, because though she had yanked them down, he was still technically wearing them. He grabbed her and made her sit on his lap, feeling how wet she was through her panties. _

_"Who would have thought that giving me a head would turn you on so much?"_

_"You have no idea. I am so wet, you're going to slide right in," she replied, before kissing him again. _

_But this time, Christian made sure to strip her of the little clothes she had on. And when she opened the condom and busied herself with putting it on him, he busied himself otherwise, sucking on her breast, and making her lose her breath several times. _

_When she finally impaled herself on him, Christian swore in her hair before sucking on her jugular. He loved everything about this. The way she bounced on him, the way he felt her walls clamp around his cock, the taste of her skin on his tongue, the bite of her nails in his back. This moment was simply perfect. So perfect that he had no idea how long it lasted. _

_A minute, an hour. It was all the same, it was perfect because it was with Ana. Because no matter how imperfect she was to the world, she was perfect for him. It was more than connecting physically, they were just in sync. They knew without saying a word when to go faster or when to go slower, when to share a passionate kiss, and when to scream out of passion. _

_And this how they climaxed together, sweaty with sex, their voices ragged because of panting, and their eyes glassy with bliss. He watched Ana's mouth form a perfect 'O' as her inner walls gripped his cock, and he jerkily raised his hips to chase their perfect bliss. _

_When they were done, they stayed silent for a moment, Ana on top of him as they were both trying to catch their breath. _

_"Wow, you really are a freak in the sheets."_

_She chuckled, the noise resonating in his chest. "That is definitely not being a freak in the sheets. That is just... being a good shag."_

_He gently traced pointless lines on Ana's skin, before she moved a little as if trying to get up. He clasped his arms over her, and pleaded, "Five more minutes."_

_She smiled and kissed him, though she still moved. Christian understood that she was just trying to find a position more comfortable than the foetus one she had just been in. She turned so she could be on her side, but then immediately cuddled with him, facing him and looking at him with love. _

_He brought his hand to her face, tracing her delicate features. Her high cheekbones, her jaw, her plump lips, her small button nose. Her bright blue eyes simply looked at him with peace and love, and so he blurted out, "God, I love you."_

_As he had expected, she blushed, and she leaned in for a kiss that he gladly gave back. The kiss started growing into something more, and though he was already ready to attack, he knew he wouldn't get to the finish line. _

_"Give me five minutes to recharge. Then, I'll ravish you, and take your breath away."_

_"Haha. I don't think so. Jose will be here in twenty minutes. And I don't feel like explaining the birds and the bees to Grace yet. So, unless _**_you_**_ want to have this conversation with her..."_

_He shook his head, doing his best to ignore the uneasy feeling of having his daughter ask about anything that was not related to cartoons or baking. She was four, and she had no business asking about sex until... she was fifty. At least. _

_Still, this was not what he bounced back on. "Remind me to tell Jose how much I love him."_

_"Haha. Don't tell him that. He'll dump Karl and snatch you up. And you'll find yourself with a husband without knowing how that happened," she teased, and he entered her game._

_"Well, he does have some charms. And well... wait! _**_No_**_! I can't marry someone who makes yucky food."_

_Ana laughed with him, though she still gently slapped his chest and admonished like she already did to Grace. "Don't say yucky. It's disrespectful."_

_"It's food, Ana."_

_"So? You put it in your body, and it is well known that your body is your temple. You wouldn't invite someone in your house just to disrespect them, same goes with food. I respect the food I eat, the people I invite in, and the... mini-Christian that makes me see stars."_

_"Don't pay too much attention to him, or I will have to ravish you in less than fifteen minutes. Plus, he's not mini-, or do I have to prove that to you in a more eloquent manner than what we just did?"_

_She playfully rolled her eyes and muttered "caveman" under her breath before getting up and telling him that she would have a quick shower. _

Christian came back to the present moment, his morning wood now rock hard because of the memory, and he jumped in the cold shower, doing his best to not think of Ana and her perfect body. When he was ready, he went to the kitchen and told Gail to make him something quick to eat for breakfast. He sat down to read the newspaper as he answered Ana.

**How am I supposed to focus on hiring new people when you bring those sexy memories back to life? ~ Christian **

**It could be worse. I could be naughty and send you some real pictures that would leave nothing to the imagination ... **😏😏😏** ~ Ana **

Christian stared at his screen, hesitating on asking for the naughty pictures. He wouldn't mind one bit, but on the other hand, he had a whole week to wait before seeing her again. His dilemma was quickly cut short by Ana's next text.

**Anyway, I thought I should tell you: you didn't miss anything this morning. I've been left aside like an old sock by Grace as soon as she saw her new classroom. ~ Ana **

He immediately tried to call her, but she didn't answer, which annoyed him greatly.

**I am at the tribunal, waiting for a hearing. I can't talk and whine about our daughter forgetting all about me. We'll talk tonight. ~ Ana **

**You okay? ~ Christian **

**Yes. I should have expected it. She was so eager to get to school. And I'm sure she'll tell me all about it, tonight, anyway. ~ Ana **

**You don't have to be all strong in front of me. If you're sad that she ditched you, just tell me. Trust me, I know how it feels. ~ Christian. **

**Ok. I'm a bit sad she ditched me ... ~ Ana **

**I'm sorry. But I'm here for you. Well not physically, but you know what I mean. ~ Christian**

**I do. And thank you. We'll call you tonight, okay? ~ Ana. **

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

When he got to work, Christian was feeling a little bit less guilty about missing Grace's first day of school. It seemed that it hadn't been such a big deal for the young girl, after all. As soon as he was in his office he asked Andrea to join him, and she followed him, as he was still trying to wrap his mind around all the things he had to do this week. The more he thought about it, the more he realised that he needed to convince Ana to move to Seattle with him. Although he could easily do the back and forth between the two cities, as well as his international travels, he didn't want this to affect his fragile relationships with his family.

He sat on his chair, sipping on the coffee that Andrea had had ready for him, and she informed him, "Your brother called just a few minutes before you arrived. He wants me to tell you that, and I quote, 'Your presence is required tonight, or he'll get Ana to do a sex strike.'"

Christian nodded, sure that Elliott would be able to convince Ana to deprive him of the little sex they could have. But in all honesty, he didn't have much planned for the evening after calling Grace, so he could always go to his brother's after.

He listened to Andrea letting him know of his schedule for the day, and when he heard that his lunch was still free, he said,

"Call my mother and ask if she's free for lunch. If she is, pin her in for lunch, and just delay Van Houten for fifteen minutes. She won't be happy with just half an hour."

For a second, Andrea stared at him, dumbfounded, before looking back at her iPad and typing in the information, but Christian couldn't really blame her. Andrea had been working for him for more than ten years, ever since she had finished high-school and he convinced her to extend her small summer job into something more permanent. And over those ten years, he had never asked her to pencil any member of his family for lunch. In fact, he often asked her to find him excuses to avoid family functions.

Still, she quickly recovered and didn't make a big deal out of his request. She finished with the rest of his busy schedule, reminding him that she had cleared half an hour for him to call his daughter for her bedtime story. Christian scratched his forehead, still slightly conflicted by the fact that he had missed her first day of school, even if he didn't miss much, according to Ana.

"And Jamie and Theo are in the conference room. They expect you at quarter past eight, so you can ambush them whenever you want," she finished, and Christian repressed a smirk. Every time he had been in the hiring process, he had always left the candidate on their own for a while, and showed up earlier than planned, just to gauge their reaction. It was a simple thing, but it could tell him a lot about a candidate.

"Mrs Baileys said you could see them on your own or wait for her. She's on a videoconference with London, right now."

He nodded, taking the resumes that Andrea was handing to him, and she got up to leave, but he stopped her. "Andrea ..." He waited for her to turn and look at him. "It looks like I will be staying in New York at least until the end of the year, and I want you to come with me. Three hours time difference might seem like nothing, but it is hell to me."

"Mr Grey, I ..."

"I'll get you an apartment and pay for it. And we can carpool to work, or I can get you a car. I just need my PA with me, not in another state where I don't live. And I don't want anyone other than you."

Andrea looked down at her shoes and muttered so low he had to strain his ear, "I don't think my partner would like the idea of me leaving for two whole months."

"What if I fly you back for the weekends? And Thanksgiving?"

"I... I don't think he minds the work, but more..."

"The fact that you're working so much with a man. I can relate to that. What does your partner do?"

"He's a stay at home dad."

Christian stared at his assistant with shock. He had no idea that she had children. She never took a single sick day in the ten years working for him, let alone maternity leave. And he didn't think he was so self-absorbed that he wouldn't notice his own PA being pregnant. Unless she had the same issue as Ana.

"I didn't know you had a kid."

"Stepson. And... well, since this job pays well, we decided it was better this way."

"Fair enough. Well then there's nothing else to it, get your partner to pick you up, and I'll take five minutes to explain the situation to him. Have an NDA ready for him, so I can explain to him that I am already taken, and I already have a family."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Christian's day was so busy that it flew by, though it had many highlights. The first one being that, as he knew she would, Ros seemed to have picked up gems for them to form. Theo was fresh out of uni, but the top of his class, and bright. Jamie, on the other hand, had been working for a rival company for five years before he left, not happy with their inner politics.

He explained that, though they would never admit it publicly, the company was homophobic, racist and sexist. And though he said he was lucky enough to be a straight man, he was still black, and couldn't see himself staying in a company that refused equality. No matter how much money he could make. In fact, he told Christian that he was through with big companies and corporations, and the only reason he even considered GEH was the fact that Ros had almost as much power as him.

Christian stayed away from giving his personal feelings on the situation, though he agreed with Jamie. But he liked that the young man was upfront and didn't fear to say what he thought. And he could tell that Ros had made a perfect pick. Jamie had the same drive that he did, the same hunger in his eyes to conquer the world.

The only personal questions that Christian asked Jamie were his plans about forming a family, and his relationship status. But fortunately, Jamie was career-focused for now and didn't care much for a family. In fact, when he mentioned families, Christian saw in Jamie's dark eyes something familiar, though he couldn't pinpoint it.

Andrea had managed to get him to lunch with his mother, and with her special powers, she even managed to make them eat at a restaurant by the building, where the wait time was usually ages-long. Christian only had to walk in with his mother, and they were seated and served immediately. And for the first time in his life, Christian asked his mother for advice on psychology.

He called Grace when her bedtime came, and she happily told him all about her day. It was clear that she loved her first day at school, and even more her teacher, Miss Donovan. For ten minutes straight, every sentence Grace said started with 'Miss Donovan', and Christian simply smiled, nodding and humming every time she took a breath. Finally, after ten minutes of marvelling about her teacher, and how impressed she was that Grace already knew her alphabet and how to write her name, it seemed that Grace didn't know what to say anymore, and so Christian asked, "How about the other kids? Did you make any friends?"

Her smile immediately disappeared, and she looked down as she said with a small voice, "Well... I don't think they like me."

"Oh, sweetie. Why would you say that?"

"No one wanted to play with me during breaks. And some even said I talk funny. Do I really talk funny?"

Though he never really paid attention to it, Christian had to say that she had a slight British accent but given the fact that she learned to speak English in the country of crumpets, it was expected that she would pick up the accent. Even Ana pronounced words like the Brits and used some British equivalents now. The most obvious example was the fact that she no longer cooked zucchinis, but courgettes.

"Of course not, sweetie. You're just more travelled than most of them, and it reflects in the way you speak."

"Andrew said that they were jealous."

"He is probably right," Christian conceded, hiding his surprise concerning the fact that Andrew had paid the girls a visit. He should have expected it; at least once a week, Andrew had shared a meal with them, though Christian made sure to change nothing in his demeanour towards him. He wasn't hostile to the Brit, for Grace's sake, but he wasn't open and sympathetic to him either, for Ana's sake. After all, as she had said, his loss was his to share, and if he wouldn't do it, Christian would have to pretend as if he knew nothing.

Grace was still sadly pouting, making Christian wish he could be there to take her in his arms, and this feeling amplified when she asked, "Do _you_ think I am weird?"

"What? Of course not! Why would you even say that?"

"I thought I would make a lot of friends in school, just like Mama. She has a lot of friends. And everyone likes her. I think no one likes me."

Christian saw tears building up in his daughter's eyes, and he cursed himself for even bringing up the friends topic in the first place. She had been so happy talking about school until he asked about it, and he was sure that Ana already consoled their daughter over this issue.

"That's ridiculous, sweetie. Lots of people like you. They even love you. Your mother and I for starters. And your Uncle Jose. And your Nana and Pops. And what about Elena? Or Raymond and Carla?"

"But... I wanted a friend little like me. I'm not a grownup. It's not the same."

Once again, Christian wished he could be physically there for his child, and he let her know, "I didn't have a lot of friends growing up. I still don't have many friends. In fact, your mother is my only friend. Some people are unique and special, but it's hard for others to understand that. But _I_ see your kind of special. I know that you're amazing and that any kid would be lucky to be your friend. It might take time for others to see it, but it will happen at some point."

She blinked away her tears, hope illuminating her blue eyes, and she rose her pinky as she trustingly asked, "Promise?"

"Promise," he assured, raising his pinky as well. He was rewarded by a toothy smile, and he watched Grace get a bit more comfortable in her bed, so he could read her the bedtime story. But just as he was about to start, Grace looked at her teddy bear, and she asked, "What teddy are you going to get me?"

"Huh?"

"Because you always get me a teddy when you are not here." She was so sure of her logic, and though Christian had thought of that earlier in the day, he wanted to break this cycle, and to get her something else entirely,

"Actually, I need to talk to your Mom about it. But I don't think you'll get a plushie this time."

"What? But ..."

"Trust me. It's something much better, and you will love it much more than a teddy."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

When Christian finished with his short story, Grace was softly snoring, laying on her side, suspiciously still. Though he remembered that when she had slept with Ana and him, she was still... for the first half-hour before she started dancing the lambada in her sleep.

He called Ana a few hours later when he finished work, and as expected, she was already in bed, her voice muffled by the cover.

"I can call you back in the morning."

"No, I was reading whilst waiting for your call, and just threw the cover over my head as soon as your name appeared on the screen," she assured him. He smiled to himself, and took the time to tell Taylor to drive him to his brother's before he asked her, "You want to talk about this morning?"

"No. She's growing up, and... I didn't think it would affect me so much. I guess I liked the idea that she needed me somehow, and now _Miss Donovan_ is her new hero."

Christian couldn't help the small laugh that escaped him as Ana complained about the new person in their daughter's life. Still, he reassured her, "Don't worry, you will always be Grace's number one. I'm fairly sure that if I ask her what she wants to be when she grows up, she'll say you."

"Actually, she wants to be a dragon when she grows up. She still doesn't believe me when I tell her they're not real. Because there is a _real dragon_ in _Maleficent_. CGI is making my child gullible," she whined, with the same tone she used when she complained about his parents spoiling their daughter, and this time, he outright laughed.

He saw Taylor raise a surprised eyebrow at him in the rear-view mirror. After all, he usually remained stern during his phone conversations. But then again, he usually called business associates and not his girlfriend.

"Well, she still has a long way to go for that. But in the meantime, I was thinking about getting her a puppy."

"Oh, Christian. Am I going to have to fight you on this too?"

"Hear me out. She would be so happy because she isn't expecting it. And my place is much bigger than yours, so it wouldn't feel cramped and — "

"The problem is not the size of the apartment. That's the easy version I gave Grace. The problem is that it's not fair for the puppy to be left alone all day long. Dogs are social animals, but I work all day and Grace is at school all day."

Christian victoriously grinned, finding a loophole in Ana's logic, "So you agree that the problem is not your place, but the animal."

"Yes... _No_. I know where you're going with this, Christian."

"I am thinking, kitten. They're independent enough to be left alone. I'll get Andrea to find you a shelter where you can get kittens, so it remains in your charitable vibe. And Grace will get a pet by the end of this week."

He heard Ana sigh, and he got himself ready for her counterargument, though he was already texting Andrea of her future mission. Just by her sigh, he could tell that he was going to win this one, he just needed to push her in the right direction. And in fact, Ana made it easy for him, as she said, "Okay. You can tell her tomorrow that she's getting a kitten."

"Great. I'll get Andrea on it in the morning, so you can pick it out after school, on Wednesday."

"Stop grinning. I can hear your victorious smile through the phone," She admonished him, though he could hear that she was smiling as well.

"You know, if you're worried about taking care of the pet, you can still move in with me. I'll get the maid to take care of it during the day."

"Nice try, Christian. You and Grace are just relentless. Every night, she asks why we're not staying with you, and every night I have to remind her that we each have our home."

"Well, you could make it simpler, and move in. I'm sure she would stop asking the question then," he smugly told her, though he was happy to hear that Grace was just as actively trying to get them to move in with him as he was.

"We will. I'm just waiting for my lease to end," she promised. Christian stopped himself from arguing that her lease was nothing, and he could take care of it, his conversation with his mother still fresh in his mind.

Taylor took a turn that got him closer to his brother's, but Christian still had something to talk about with Ana. "So... Grace said that kids were picking on her."

"Yes. Andrew told me." He could tell that she was annoyed by that fact, and at first, he didn't understand why.

"Oh, she didn't tell you about it?" He asked, and once again, Ana sighed, though this time, it was out of sadness. Christian found himself cursing again the fact that he was far away, and she told him, "I ... I don't know why she didn't tell me. Even when I put her to bed, she didn't mention anything and just asked when you were going to call. I feel like she resents me for putting her in school."

"_No_, of course not. She loved school. Well, on the academic level. I just think that... you're still her hero. And she wants to be like you. And she's sad she couldn't make friends like you."

"She told you that?"

"I'm paraphrasing, but yeah."

Ana remained silent for a moment, and Christian knew that she was doing what Ana did best, she was overthinking the whole thing.

"Babe, don't overthink it."

"Maybe I should have put her in preschool. She would have bonded with other kids there and developed her social skills."

"I'm sure preschool never would have taught her how time difference works. Don't go and try to blame yourself. I was a lonely kid, and — "

"You had a sibling," she cut him off, before she promptly said, "But anyway, it's just the first day, and she arrived when the year had already started. I'm sure she'll make lots of friends, by Thanksgiving."

Christian agreed because truth be told, Grace was a loveable child, no matter how biased he was in that statement. Still, he did take note on how quickly Ana had changed the topic after she mentioned siblings. So, he asked about her day, not wanting their conversation to be just about Grace. She told him about it and asked him the same question when she was done summarising hers.

So Christian told her about his new hires, and how he was much more confident in Jamie than Theo, and he told her about the lunch he had with his mother. He was sure that she would appreciate hearing this news, which, of course, was the case.

"Aww. I'm sure your mother was over the moon to see you unexpectedly like this."

"She was. You were right, I should spend more time with my family, just for the sake of it."

"Oh, Christian. Didn't your father teach you that? Women are always right," She teased, with mirth echoing in her tone, and he closed his eyes, resting his head on the headrest. Taylor had parked in front of his brother's house, but he wanted to finish his conversation with Ana first.

"To be honest, I've never heard him say that. Not even once in my life."

She chuckled, and he could picture her rolling her eyes at him. "He said it at least twice when they came over. You need to pay attention to his infinite wisdom."

"And you need to stop being such a lawyer, changing the words so they fit your narrative. My father said that _wives_ were always right, not women. And though I know exactly in which category you are, I don't think you do," he simply said with a small smile, and making Ana chuckle on the other end of the phone.

"Ever so the businessman."

"It's all in the details," he reminded her. She repressed a yawn, and so he told her, "Anyway, I am going to keep on applying your wise advice and spend the evening with my brother. I'll get Andrea to contact you tomorrow for the kitten, and I'll get in touch, okay?"

"Say hi to the guys from me, okay?"

"And you sleep well. Don't dream of me, I'm not here to put out the fire."

"It's okay. My hand can do the job fine."

"Your hand will never make you see stars, the way _I_ do," he gloated, because, even though they didn't have sex that many times, he still made her come multiple times, each and every time they did.

Ana uttered a small "_caveman"_ before hanging up, and Christian left the car, telling Taylor that he would call him when he would need to return home. In all honesty, if it hadn't been for the threat, Christian would have stayed at the office and worked through a good part of the night, just so he could have his weekend free and visit the girls for the weekend. Being back in Seattle made him realise of all the things he had been missing out on, and he knew that he would need at least two weeks to sort it all out.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Christian had to admit that he had missed spending time with his brother and nephews. It was something that he had come to do more frequently after Ana left, but since she came back, he didn't get the chance to do it so much. Jason was happy to see him, and bombarded him with questions about Grace, claiming that he was happy to be an almost big brother, now. He showed Christian the doll that Julian and he bought for their little cousin, and Christian patiently listened to little Jason explain how he excited he was to see Ana again for Halloween and to spend it with her and his cousin.

Julian seemed more reserved, but as Elliott already pointed out, he was in his moody teenager phase, so Christian didn't think much of it. Julian did ask if they were going to see their cousin more often than they saw Christian, and it did have some impact on Christian.

When the boys went to bed, Elliott took a bottle of scotch from the top of the fridge, and he explained as they sat on the couch, "Ever since Peter Quinn threw a sleepover with underaged drinking last month, I tend to hide the liquor. I don't want Julian to think he can do the same here."

"I thought you were the kind of parent all about talking, and reasoning, and that kind of shit."

"I am. But so was Mom. And I still enjoyed Dad's liquor when I shouldn't have."

Christian didn't retort anything to that, because Elliott had always been the popular kid, and the one to throw parties. And usually, when he did so, he just stayed in his room, occasionally with a girlfriend.

"So... you're going to New York this weekend?" He asked, and Elliott nodded, getting more comfortable on the couch.

"Yup. I think Jason is old enough now to understand that missing half a day of school isn't the end of the world, but still not a pass for missing school all year round. And since Ana said that Grace just started school herself, I don't see them flying here any time soon. Especially when you're always in New York, to begin with."

"So now you're going to lecture me on spending time with my kid."

"_No_! Spend time with your kid! I just thought you didn't like New York. Are you going to move there permanently? Dad seems to think so."

Christian shook his head and sipped on his scotch. It wasn't his first time having alcohol since the operation. He'd had several meetings over dinner or lunch since then, and he had enjoyed wine with Ana when they were eating out with Grace. But it was the first time he was drinking it in a house, and it struck him as odd. Not even once had he felt the need to drink when he was alone since the operation, and he was just realising that now.

"I don't know yet. It's complicated."

"Uncomplicate it, then," Elliott responded with a shrug, and Christian realised that his brother was probably the best person to help him out on his situation.

"And how? She is persuaded that I will screw up and hurt Grace. How did _you do_ it? How did you convince Kate that you were there for the long haul?"

"Well, first of all, I didn't call my lawyer as soon as I found out she had a kid." Christian glared at his brother, but Elliott was unapologetic. "What, it's true. I'm not going to pretend it's not just because you're acting like a normal person now.

But on a more positive note, I don't really know. I guess I was just there, and I always made it clear that I considered Julian as mine, even if we don't share blood. And... I was there for her as well. I mean, people often forget themselves as a person when they have a big change happen in their lives. You stopped being a normal person when your company made it big, some women become just mothers when they give birth, and forget their whole identity before that. Some men become idiots once they fall in love, and forget they have a life outside their relationship.

Well, I made sure that I always treated Kate as such. She wasn't just Julian's mother. She was Kate. The woman who could solve a Rubik's cube in forty-five seconds, but who couldn't sew for her life. The woman who killed every cactus we ever had, but who played the guitar beautifully. The woman who ..."

Elliott cleared his throat, shaking his head a little as his eyes refocused on the present moment. He took another sip on his drink and turned a proud head to Christian as he summed up, "All in all, be human. With your flaws and all your qualities, and Ana will move in with you in no time. I mean, you already have half the job done, she's definitely fallen head over heels for you."

Christian rested a comforting hand on his brother's arm, not sure what he could tell him, and Elliott assured him, "It's okay Peanut. I just get caught up in the memories sometimes. I've moved on."

"And yet, you're still single."

"I don't need to be with someone else to move on with my life. I need to be at peace with myself. It took me years, but I got there, and I no longer cry when I see the empty side of my bed."

Once again, Christian was unsure of what to say, but Elliott just served them both another drink, shaking his head and telling him he didn't need to say anything.

"To be fair, for a while I did try to date, just so the boys could have a mother, you know. But in the end, I did the best I could, and I think they're pretty alright."

"I think you did more than alright. You're like the perfect father. Grace will see you and look down on me two minutes later."

"Haha, if she does that, it's because I'm cooler than you. But in all seriousness, the perfect parent doesn't exist."

Christian snickered, letting his brother know, "You obviously haven't seen Ana as a mom. She does it so... effortlessly. And here I am, struggling to even make cookies with my kid."

"Haha, welcome to the club. The first time I made cookies... we ended up buying some at the store and warming them up in the oven."

They laughed together, Christian wishing he had thought of that as a backup, so Ana would have never known of Grace's and his epic fail.

"But you know Ana is just human. And she's far from thinking she's the perfect mom."

"What do you mean?"

"When you were being an ass, and I went to see her, she was feeling pretty down. She blamed herself for everything that goes wrong on this good Earth. She felt that she should have tried harder, and forced you to own up to your child, showing up at your doorstep and all. She felt that she shouldn't have cared that you were an asshole and that having a distant father who didn't care, was better than no father for Grace.

And even financially. Apparently, there had been a couple of times that were rough on them, and she knows that, had she been with you, Grace never would have lived through those. She felt that every time she refused your kid something because she couldn't afford it, she was depriving Grace of something she would have had with you.

I had to trash your name a lot to make her stop crying. And to be honest, giving how I felt about you at the time, it wasn't that hard."

Christian sat up straight, looking at his glass with his brows furrowed as he let the information sink in. Ana was an amazing mother, it never occurred to him to think otherwise. And yet, she had doubted herself so much over the past few years.

He rested his elbows on his knees, saying more to himself than to his brother, "She never said anything."

"Yeah, but that's because you're a lucky bastard. Ana clearly loves you, and she just wants to spare your feelings. Just like she did when Dad and I proposed to be organ donors for Grace. You know, even Julian and Jason were ready to give. They understood it was an operation, and yet, they said that they were ready to help their cousin. Mom had to remind them that they were too young, and not of the right blood type, anyway.

The thing is, I don't think Ana is someone who naturally tells people how she feels. I don't know her that well, and mostly virtually, but the fact that she never talked about herself, and always asked about the kids and me... Well, call me Mom, but I think it's just that Ana is someone who likes to take care of people, but isn't used to the other way around."

Christian passed a hand over his face, and agreed, "That's _exactly_ what Mom said. You should reconvert, that would make her happy."

Elliott tapped his shoulder, trying to cheer him up, and gave him the best advice he could think of. "Stop trying to make things happen. The more you push, the more she will hesitate. Just let it happen, and it will."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The next couple of weeks had many ups and a few downs. The best news of all happened when Grace called him in the middle of the day. Of course, he had been in a meeting at the time and called her back an hour later. And Ana told him that Grace had made them wait that hour in the shelter, so he could choose the kitten with her via FaceTime.

She chose a little brown munchkin cat that was barely six months and that she excitedly named Peanut because Christian liked peanut butter. And though Christian loved that his daughter implicated him in the naming of her cat, he was not looking forward to his brother learning about this name.

Throughout the next couple of weeks, Grace made a point of narrating her whole school day to Christian, skipping her bedtime stories just so she could speak about Miss Donovan some more. And of course, there were the antics of Peanut. Though Grace was ecstatic to find the kitten sleeping at the foot of her bed every morning.

Every night, Grace warned Christian that when he would come back and see Peanut, he needed to be gentle and to look around because he was big, and he could crush her little kitten. And when he would pet him, he needed to do it in a certain way. And he couldn't use the same potty as the one the cat was using.

Ana and Christian agreed that their daughter was obsessed by her cat, and though she still didn't have any friends, it seemed to have come at a good time, because she didn't mention the issue even once again.

At work, he was convinced by Jamie's performances that he could do the job as well. And he had convinced Andrea's partner to let her go to New York with him. The answer had been simple. He agreed to fly Todd, her partner, and his son as well, so they could still have a somewhat familial life when she would get home.

Halloween happened as well, and for a while, Christian didn't much mind missing the celebration. It was clear that Grace was looking forward to it, and Ana had sent him a few pictures of last year's costumes with the two brunettes and Andrew dressed as the Flintstone family. He knew Andrew was going to be there, and he didn't mind. Grace had promised to keep all the peanut sweets she'd receive for him, and Ana had promised to put her costume back on when he would get back, for him to peel it off of her.

What he didn't know, was what the costume looked like. In his memory, Morticia Addams wore a black dress that covered her from head to toe, not a sexy form-fitting dress that showed all her curves, with a plunging neckline that revealed her generous décolleté. When he received the picture of the two Steeles that Elliott had sent him, all he had wanted to do was call Ana and plead her to wear something else. _Anything _else.

But he swallowed his emotions, aware that Ana would not listen to him anyway, and just listened to Grace with a tense smile the next day when she told him about Halloween night. Apparently, everyone loved their costumes, and she even said that some people thought Elliott was her father because he was dressed as Gomez. Apparently, they had all decided to follow a theme, and Andrew dressed as Lurch, Jason as Pugsley and Julian as Uncle Fester.

Of course, Grace had no idea that Christian was anything but thrilled hearing that his own brother had been mistaken for her father and just went on with the events of the night. And that same night, Elliott texted him for a while, managing to lift his spirits by reminding him that the costume played most of the parts in this misunderstanding. Plus, Grace referred to Christian as her father when she talked to Elliott, and the two brothers saw that as a positive sign.

Though Elliott mentioned several times that he was impressed by Grace's dictation, and her intellect, which made Christian ponder on it once more. He remembered that at first, he had found it odd, but after a while, he had gotten used to Grace speaking so well, and asking questions that usually didn't trouble four-year-olds. But as Elliott pointed out, neither of his kids were that knowledgeable and aware at her age.

Ana kept on deflecting the issue, saying that it was because she never babied Grace, and always spoke normally to her, and Christian did agree with that. Not even once had Ana spoken down to Grace, which lead to Grace using words that most children were unaware of.

Midway through the second week, he informed Andrea that he was going back to New York over the weekend and expected her there by the end of next week as well. He had taken an apartment for her in the same building where he lived, though she had assured him repeatedly that she had family in New York, and that she could live with them for the time being. Christian was sure that Todd was the one who convinced her that having their own place would be better than staying with her sister.

At this precise moment, he was in the middle of a board meeting, listening to Ros whilst his hand half-covered his face. He was getting tired of this board made of shareholders who thought they knew better than him how to make _his company_ thrive. He wanted to invest in young blood and businesses, and they were not happy about it. So, Ros was the one doing the convincing since he was tired, sexually frustrated and missing his kid. It was not a good combination as he was already trying very hard not to rip off people's heads

Jamie was next to him, taking notes, though, by the way his leg was bouncing, he wanted to say something, and so, keeping his eyes closed, Christian snapped in a whisper low enough just for the young man to hear, "If you want to say something, say it. You're here to replace me, not to take notes."

He opened one eye to see the man's reaction, but just as Jamie interrupted Ros, Andrea knocked on the door and popped her head in.

"I'm sorry, but Mr Grey, you have a call."

"I'll call them back later," he dismissed, surprised that Andrea didn't naturally do that. She shook her head and showed that she was holding his iPad.

"I don't think it can wait. It's from _New York_."

He frowned because Ana always called him on his cell. So he got up, telling people to take five minutes before he walked to the door and took the iPad as Andrea explained, "She kept asking for you, and ..."

Grace was crying, and Christian walked a few steps away from the conference room, barely aware of Ros coming to him and getting closer. Though he had seen his daughter cry on several occasions, he never saw her in such a state of distress.

"Mama needs you."

"Grace, take a deep breath. What's wrong, sweetie?"

She tried to do as instructed, but it only made her cry even more and Christian kept his face impassable to mask his worry from her.

"She doesn't answer me. She went in the bathroom, and she screamed, and I heard a boom, and she doesn't answer. I knock on the door, but she doesn't answer."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, Mouahhahahaha ****😈. I mean, Guys, we've had fluffy chapter over fluffy chapter ... You knew this was coming, haha**

💚**Now, I know what you want to talk about, but first, question time,**

**1\. We had some lemons ... Hope you liked it. And just so you know, Christian very briefly and subtly made an allusion to their Friday afternoon during the last chapter. But what did you think about it?**

**2\. Now, I think it became the norm, but what did you think of Grace? And school? And Peanut?**

**3\. And what are your thoughts on Christian's work in general? And the people he works with?**

**4\. And what did you think of the conversation Christian had with Elliott?**

**5\. And of course, this chapter held a little bit more about the relationship of our couple, not just sexually ... **

**6\. What do you think Christian talked about with his mother?**

**7\. And yes, finally I am asking, what did you think of that cliffhanger **

**8\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? Mine was the conversation between Ana and Christian about Grace's first day at school. **

**9\. And what do you think will happen in the next chapter? Am I about to kill someone****?**

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	15. Chapter 13: Pressure & Bloom

**My dear little broccolis**💚💚💚

💚** So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

‼️**ABOUT THE REVIEWS**‼️

**1\. So, yes, to all of those who clearly didn't trust me all along, well, ... you know ... you were right XD. I mean, come on! I gave you 14 updates of fluffiness, filled with cuteness ... Do you even know me? Ad for the new poor unfortunate souls discovering me through this story, I'm sorry. Have faith, and you won't regret it. You might just alternate between hating and loving me throughout the story, haha.**

**2\. Now, I could chitchat all along about many things, but we all know you DON'T CARE, so on with the story. haha. Enjoy. **

**‼️DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW‼️**

**💚 Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy 💚**

**Chapter 13: Pressure & Bloom (4,3K)**

**So about this title, as you know, the best way to manoeuvre a gemstone is to use pressure on it. Whether you want to transform it, or. … destroy it. And bloom … well, you know this one speaks for itself.**

**Love, Mina **💚💚💚

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Christian felt his blood freeze as his daughter's words echoed in his ears, and he had to remind himself not to show any sort of panic to Grace. He didn't want to scare her any more than she already was. She was crying, her blue eyes turning red and silently showing what she feared the most. What Christian feared the most.

"Did you try opening the door, sweetie?"

"Mama no está respondiendo. It's closed, and I knock again and Mama no dice nada!" (_Mom doesn't answer… Mom says nothing_.)

"Just a moment, Grace," Christian said, before putting his mic on mute and holding the tablet against him so she wouldn't see his face.

He started walking to his office, Ros and Andrea on his heels, whilst his brain was working at a thousand miles per hour. Ana lived in that small building with no concierge, so there was no one to check on the girls, whether it was to reassure Grace or make sure that Ana… he shook his head, refusing to go down that road, and told Andrea, then Ros,

"Call 911 and give them the address of the girls. Say it's an emergency. And Ros, call Raymond and tell him to get to Ana's ASAP. Explain the situation to him. He is the closest person we can get to right now and Grace knows him. Explain that she is alone and needs an adult with her _right now_."

In all honesty, he would have rather called Jose, or even Andrew, knowing how much closer Grace was to them, and that their presence would reassure her a little. But he had neither of their numbers, and he didn't have any time to waste looking for them.

And in the best-case scenario, if Raymond was at his office, it was a twenty-minute drive from Ana's. In the best of conditions, without any traffic. And New York _always_ had traffic. He tried to keep his mind positive, but he couldn't help but imagine the worst scenarios. What if she fell under water? What if she bumped her head and was bleeding to death? What if she needed CPR?

Once again, he shook his head, trying to clear out the worst possibilities, sat at his desk and took a deep breath. Then, he unmuted the video and made sure that his poker face was on. Grace was still crying, and he could hear her trying to knock on the bathroom door again. And no matter how much he hated what he was about to do, he knew he had no better solution. At best, both Raymond and first responders were minutes away, and Ana needed someone _now_.

So, he made sure that Grace's crying calmed a little, and he told her, "Grace, sweetie, I want you to listen to me very carefully. I want you to keep me on the tablet and go knock on your neighbour's door."

"But Mama said—" She started, but Christian interrupted her, doing his best to remain calm and composed.

"I know. You're not supposed to talk to strangers or to leave the flat without her. But this is an emergency. I need you to be brave and ask your neighbour for help."

He saw her glance at what he assumed to be the bathroom door, before she nodded bravely, and walked away. Christian watched nervously, praying that Ana hadn't locked the door, and even harder, that her neighbour was there. It was an old woman to whom Ana gave a portion of their meals from time to time, though Christian never actually met her. He just knew about her because Ana had mentioned the elderly woman a couple of times, but she was his only hope at this moment.

He kept talking to her as she opened the front door, her face still covered with unstoppable tears, and he nervously - though he did his best to not show it - waited with her for the old lady to answer when she knocked on the door. What he did not expect, was to hear the voice of a man.

"Hey kiddo, what's wrong?"

Grace sobbed, and Christian asked her to turn the tablet around, but she was still crying so much that it seemed like an insurmountable task for her. It seemed that the man took the tablet in his hands because, in an instant, Christian couldn't see Grace anymore. Instead, he saw a young Arab man who seemed to be in his late teens looking questioningly at him.

"I think my partner fell in the bathroom, but the door is locked and —" He started to explain, but he didn't get to finish, because, in the blink of an eye, the man had put the tablet back in Grace's hands and was pushing her inside his apartment, calling out, "Jadda! Can you please give some Chebakia to your neighbour? I need to check something." (_Jadda is the common term for grandmother in many Arabic diElliottts. And Chebakia is an ultra-sweet Moroccan pastry, that looks a bit like a golden rose_)

Christian had no other choice but to go where Grace was going, and he kept showing his poker face as Grace was fussed over by the elderly woman who took Grace in her arms to wipe away her tears. Grace took the pastry that the woman offered her, but she didn't eat it. She kept looking at what Christian assumed to be the front door, and he tried to reassure her.

"Grace, sweetie, everything is going to be fine."

"Mama siempre responde cuando la llamo. Do you think she's dead?" _(Mama always responds when I call her.)_

His leg that had been impatiently going up and down suddenly froze as he heard her words, but his face was still as unreadable as before. In all honesty, he feared the answer to this question, and he hated that he was so far away, and unable to do _a thing_. He couldn't help but think that, if at least she had been in living in his apartment, he could have gotten the concierge to check what was wrong.

But he couldn't really dwell on it now, and so he made a promise that he wasn't sure he could keep. "Of course not. You mother is going to be fine; I promise."

Grace sniffed, slightly reassured, and Christian did his best to stop the unending tears. "We'll even buy her a big bouquet of flowers together tomorrow, okay?"

"But… Mama said you were busy."

"I'm on my way back to you girls, sweetie. Raymond is going to pick you up soon, and I will be there as quickly as I can."

Grace pitifully nodded, whilst Christian's leg was still bouncing uncontrollably. The old woman insisted that Grace eat her pastry, and so she did as Christian did his best keep his temper at bay. _What was this man doing_? He had left for a good fifteen minutes! What took him so long to just bust open a door? Ana didn't live in some panic room; her doors were easily breakable.

His mind started going to dark places, thinking that maybe he had put both Ana and Grace in an even worse situation. After all, he knew nothing of these strangers, only that Ana had told him she occasionally took food to the old lady. What if they weren't as nice and friendly as they seemed? He was almost tempted to order Grace to stop eating, but finally, he heard the man's voice again as he asked Grace, "Can I take the tablet for a moment?"

Christian saw how Grace hesitated, clearly not happy parting with the only link she had to a conscious parent, but Christian smiled to her, promising her that all would be okay once again. So, she gave the iPad away, and the man walked to a different room.

"She is alive, and the paramedics are taking her to the hospital. She… I think she slipped and banged her head on the tub and … well, I'm not a doctor, but there was blood."

Finally, Christian's mask broke, and he visibly paled. Unresponsiveness was never a good sign, but a head wound bleeding due to falling was always a bad sign.

Before his mind could even get to the worst scenarios, the man said,

"But I have a more pressing matter. Do you know a Raymond Wilks?"

"Yes. Yes of course. Is he here?"

The man nodded, and admitted, "I am sorry, I kicked him out of the building until I made sure. I mean, I wanted to make sure you knew him, and we never know nowadays, there are psychos everywhere. How come he is already here?"

"I called him. I'm too far to do anything, and my kid needs someone."

"Okay. We could have watched over her, you know."

Christian just nodded, not sure what else to say, and the man went back to Grace to give the iPad back. As soon as he was back in Grace's hands, she questioned him."What did he say? Is Mama okay?"

"She is fine. The doctors came to take her, to make sure everything is okay. And Raymond is downstairs. I want you to go with him, so I can get on a plane and get to you, okay?"

"Is Mama going to the hospital?" She asked with fear, and for the first time, he found himself annoyed that she was so bright. As Ana often pointed out, Grace was too perceptive and asked too many good questions.

"She is going to be fine. Remember that when _you_ went to the hospital, it was to make you all better."

It seemed that this little reminder lifted Grace's spirits a little because she finally stopped crying. He heard Raymond's voice before seeing him, and so he explained to Grace, "I have to go now, sweetie. But I will be with you and your mom real soon. Just give the plane the time to get to you."

She nodded, looking up to whom he assumed to be Raymond, but he could still see the doubt in her eyes. So he promised, "I'll call you as soon as I land, okay?"

"Okay."

He saw her being lifted, and half of Raymond appeared on the screen, with a reassuring smile that Christian knew was there just for Grace's sake. "I'll text you the details in a moment," he let Christian know. "We're going to see Carla for now, okay darling?"

Once again, Grace nodded before she waved Christian goodbye. As soon as the screen went blank, Christian got up, refusing to go down the dark spiral that his brain was presenting to him. Ana was going to make it because she had no other choice but to make it. He sprinted out of his office, his mind set on getting to Ana, but Andrea stopped him.

"Taylor is waiting for you downstairs. And I found you a flight that leaves in two hours. It was the earliest I could do, but it will be business-class."

"Thank you," he said, not caring the slightest that he wouldn't fly first class. He put on his coat, Ros waiting for him by the elevator doors with Jamie, both their faces grave and seeing his own worry painted on someone else's face made him realise that he wouldn't be able to do it. Not alone.

"Book another ticket, Andrea."

Then, he walked to the elevator, his briefcase in hands and his coat on his back, and he gave his instructions to Ros and Jamie.

"Get the board rescheduled for tomorrow. I'll video conference them at 1 pm, Seattle time. And tell them to get their shit together, I won't have time to listen to whatever stupid reasons they have. It's my money that is making them rich, so they better comply."

Then he turned to Jamie. "_You_, Ros said you were a shark, _you_ said you were a shark. Prove it. I don't need you to take notes and bite your tongue. We've been honest with each other, and if you can't do what you said you could, just leave. I don't have time for politically correct and propriety. If you're to replace me, show as much honesty as you showed during our first conversation."

Jamie nodded, and just as he exited the elevator to get to his car, Christian added in his direction, "And go to Andrea, she'll help you find all you need for you to be in New York by the end of next week. If you don't show, I'd understand. But don't waste both of our time."

Once in the back of the car, Christian told Taylor to make a detour, before calling the person he had failed so many times, but whom he was hoping would come to his rescue one more time.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

As he was sitting on the plane, on his way to New York, Christian struggled to keep his nerves down. No matter how many times Elliott had tried to calm him down, and reassure him that all would be fine, he knew better. It was the exact same lie he had told Grace. But in the harsh reality was that Ana was at the hospital, with head trauma, and still unconscious.

Elliott didn't question his brother. As soon as Christian had explained the situation to him, he told him that he would be ready for him to be picked up. When he got in the car later, he explained that he had asked their father to look after his kids and that, of course, Carrick had been asked to be kept updated.

Jose had contacted Christian whilst they were in the middle of checking their luggage, and he informed him that he was Ana's emergency number, and that, though the doctors said there was no visible threat, she was still unconscious. The doctors had declared they would keep her for the night, and Grace was at his place, with Karl and the kitten.

And though Jose had told him about Ana's 'stable' condition, Christian kept envisioning the worst. He just wished the plane would land already, so he could see her, but this seemed to be the longest five hours of his life.

His leg kept bouncing up and down, and he gratefully took the scotch that Elliott had ordered for him. His brother didn't say a word, staying by his side supportively and he couldn't help but compare this situation to the last time Ana had been hospitalised.

_Christian silently looked at the brunette laying in her hospital bed, a bubble of rage threatening to burst inside of him. She looked terrible. She had a cut lip and a swollen eye. Her arms and neck were also all bruised, and this right moment, he saw a different woman. Because of the confidence she always had, Christian had always seen Ana as a strong woman. But now, he realised that she was just human. And no matter how much she liked to deny it, she was petite and frail, and all he wanted to do was to keep her safe from any form of harm. _

_He sat on the chair by her bed, pushing aside the vivid images that had been snapped by the paparazzo, that depicted the brutality of her attackers. His parents always said he had a bad temper when it came to the ones he cared, and this had never been truer. All he wanted to do at this moment, was to find those punks and show them how it felt to be used as a punching bag. _

_And to think it could have been much worse … No matter how much he despised paparazzi, he was happy that this one had been there and had the decency to come to him first with the pictures he had taken. Truth be told, he had never cared about the media, he knew how to keep his private life private, even from those vultures. _

_Softly, he traced the outline of the bruise on her neck, realising that it was forming a handprint, and he swallowed down another spout of rage, calming himself with the sweet idea of what could have happened if he had put his foot down, and convinced her to live in a nice neighbourhood. _

_He wasn't delusional enough to think that she could live with him, though he would love nothing more than for it to become a reality. Ana was too practical to move in with a man she saw no future with. And though he was planning on changing her mind regarding her future, it was still something in process, and he couldn't rush her into it. _

With bitterness, he finished his scotch, wondering what might have happened if he had come clear to her then. What if he hadn't chickened out from telling her how he felt, and told her when she woke up about his desire to tear up the contract and just give this whole relationship bullshit a shot with her? One thing was for sure, she wouldn't be in the hospital so far away from him at this moment.

In retrospect, he could admit to himself that he had been a coward those six, almost seven years ago. At the time, he had convinced himself that the reason why he didn't tell her he loved her was because of the way she had compared him with Jose, and the way she had said as if nothing that she would never feel for him the way she felt for Jose.

Back then, his ego had been wounded. _"Jose is different. You and I will **never** have the same relationship as the one I have with him. Jose is … more than you'll ever be."_ Those had been her exact words. But now, in hindsight, he understood what she had meant.

He would never be Jose, just like she would never be Elliott. Though they shared no blood, Ana and Jose were close. In fact, they were even closer than he had ever been with his own sibling. And today was just more proof of how important they were for each other. Jose was Ana's emergency number, and it seemed he knew exactly what to do whether it was for Ana, or for Grace.

Christian on the other hand, what did he know about Ana? Despite the file he had read on her all those years ago, he knew nothing about her medical history. And in all honesty, her blood type was not what he was lingering on when he looked through her file. In fact, he completely disregarded the medical aspect of her file.

But what if she needed a blood transfusion? He didn't know her blood type. He just knew it wasn't the same as his or Grace's. In fact, he didn't even know if she would want them to pull the plug if the worst was to come, or if she was an organ donor.

"Stop picturing the worst," Elliott suddenly instructed him, and he raised an eyebrow at his brother, curious to know how he could tell what he was thinking. "You have this face that says, 'I'm imagining the worst outcome of the situation I'm in now.' Be positive. I'm sure her friend would have told you if something was wrong."

Christian just ignored him, silently hailing a flight attendant so she could refill his drink and they fell into another long silence, during which Christian did exactly what Elliott had told him not to do: pictured the worst scenarios. And one theme kept on coming back repeatedly, no matter how much he knew he was not ready for it. So, he told Elliott, "I can't be a single father."

Elliott turned his head, but before he could say a thing, Christian continued, "I just can't. I can barely do that whole parenting thing _with her_, so I will certainly not be able to do it without her. You are much stronger than I am in that department. Because …

I wouldn't be just devastated if I lose Ana, I would … I just can't lose her, Elliott. It's not as a mother of our child, or as a lover. It's as a person. We both know that she's my better half. _I can't lose her. She can't die_. I won't let her!"

He did his best to keep his hurt and fear to himself, closing his eyes to prevent tears from escaping his eyes, and he welcomed the warm embrace from his brother. Elliott didn't say a word, nor did he make any empty promises. He just held him as he used to when they were little, and he had just been told off by their parents.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

When they finally arrived in New York, after those five long terrible hours of flight, Andrea had a car ready for them that drove them straight to the hospital where Ana had been admitted. He tried to call Grace, but only got Karl who explained that she had cried herself to sleep and that Jose was still at the hospital.

When they got to the hospital, it was shortly after one in the morning, local time. He and Elliott found Jose in the waiting room. He looked exhausted, but Christian assumed that he would look much worse if he had any sort of bad news. As soon as he spotted Christian, Jose got up, and walked to him, explaining, "Only _family_ is allowed in her room. But the doctors said that she was okay, so I guess it's something. I mean, this is Ana we're talking about, she pushed a kid out without epidural or anything, so a concussion won't stop her."

Christian nodded, keeping in a corner of his mind this new piece of information he had no idea about, but when he opened his mouth to thank Jose, no words came out, his throat was dry. He cleared his throat and told the Hispanic man, "Thank you, Jose. I'll stay here if you want to go home."

Jose hesitated for a moment. "She would definitely tell you to do the same and get some sleep. You look like crap."

Christian nodded his head, agreeing that, had she been conscious, Ana would make such a big problem of anyone fussing over her. It was always okay for her to do so, to worry about others and care for them, but God forbid someone ever did the same for her.

Jose left, and Christian went straight to the reception desk, asking for Ana's room. He tried to lie his way into it and say that he was her husband, but her records showed that she was unwed and that the only family member registered to her was Miss Grace Marianne Steele. Which annoyed Christian greatly for more than one reason.

Still, after a little convincing and a few dead presidents exchanging hands, Elliott and Christian could access her room, under the strict rule to let her wake on her own. But when Christian opened the door, Elliott did not enter.

"I think I'll just leave you two alone. I'm sure you — "

"I'd like for you to stay with her while I go to her flat to get her some clothes"

Elliott nodded, and so Christian took a cab to Ana's place. On his way there, he emailed Roger, telling him to write a statement about his family that he would read on Monday (though he made a point saying that the girls had to remain anonymous). He also emailed Andrea, so she could find him an efficient team in New York to do the job he wanted done, first thing in the morning. And he texted his parents who had been asking questions about Ana and Grace.

Once in her flat, his first instinct was to go to the bathroom, and he saw that the door was unhinged. Noting seemed much out of place, but after all this time, Christian knew that Ana was probably even more OCD than he was. So, the place would be a mess for her. Her clothes were by the sink, and he suddenly realised that both the young man and the paramedics had probably seen her naked, which did not appease his temper.

He went to her room, packing up a quick bag with clothes and toiletries, and when he closed Ana's apartment door, he found himself face to face with the old lady. He hid his surprise on seeing her up so late, but still let her know, "Thank you. You and that young man prevented my daughter from panicking more then she could have."

"Not a problem at all. Grace is always welcomed, and Samir was more than happy to help."

Christian gave her his card, and told her, "Tell him to call me when he can."

Then he went back to the hospital, and Elliott did as he had said earlier: he left Ana and Christian alone. He didn't feel like talking to her. If he wanted to speak to her, it would be when she was conscious, with her witty comebacks at the ready, and her head shaking when she would find him ridiculous or over the top. He refused to be that kind of person laying his heart out to someone who couldn't hear him.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

When the morning came, Christian hadn't slept much. He had spent most of his night working and emailing people. Ana was still unconscious, and he stirred, his body stiff from the rigid chair. He got up and left the room to stretch his legs; Ana was still out cold.

He had a thought to find a doctor and get some answers. But his thoughts were interrupted by Grace who was rushing to his arms. He lovingly picked her up as soon as they collided, his heart melting as he heard the word, he'd been wanting to hear for a long time.

"_Daddy_!"

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** Awwwww, isn't that cute? Haha. But is it really? I mean ... if you read carefully, there are some things that still haven't been properly explained ...**

**1\. So ... well, she's not dead ... yet ... And she bumped her head pretty hard ...**

**2\. This chapter was really about Christian, so obviously, how did you feel about him?**

**3\. Do you think he handled the situation properly?**

**4\. And what did you think of the conversation Christian had with Elliott?**

**5\. Now about the flashback, many had been upset at Ana for her words back then, and it made me snigger, because, well, Ana just explained that she loved her brother and that things would never be the same between Christian and her because she is not a Lannister.**

**6\. What do you think about his work**

**7\. And now, about that tiny little world in the end. How did it make you feel?**

**8\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? Mine was when Christian cried on his brother's shoulders**

**9\. And what do you think will happen in the next chapter? I didn't kill Ana, but as I could do so much worst...**

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	16. Chapter 14: Sweeties & Daddies

**My dear little broccolis💚💚💚**

**💚 So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

**‼️ABOUT THE REVIEWS‼️**

**1\. So, first of all, HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY to the guest reviewer who asked for this chapter. I'm sorry I couldn't get it out on your birthday, but I hope you got to celebrate with your family and that you received lots of love on that special day. **

**2\. Also, there is a particular passage that is for two particular people that will recognise themselves ^^**

**3\. And yes, finally, Grace said the magic word. We were all waiting for that special moment. Especially Christian. Haha. **

**4\. And in case it wasn't 100% clear, Christian cried on his brother's shoulders on their way to NYC. And yes, I am evil, because we still don't know what happened to Ana. But don't worry, this chapter will finally put the torture to an end. For better or for worst ... **

**‼️DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW‼️**

**💚 Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy 💚**

**Chapter 14: Sweeties & Daddies (5,4K)**

**So about this title, I think it speaks for itself **

If Christian was honest with himself, it was a strange feeling to have Grace finally recognise him as her Dad. He had been waiting for this moment for so long that now that it had finally happened, he felt overwhelmed. It gave him a warm sensation that he couldn't quite explain.

Grace in his embrace, her little arms wrapped around his neck as he gave her a kiss on her cheek. He didn't want to make a big deal out of the fact that she finally called him 'daddy' because he didn't want her to start feeling self-conscious about it. Still, he noticed the small smile on Jose's lips. In fact, he was sure that Ana would have the exact same smile if she had been awake.

"You came!" Grace marvelled, unknowingly letting Christian know that she had doubted his words when he had told her that he was on his way to her. "Uncle Karl said that you called when I was sleeping."

"I told you I would, didn't I?" She nodded, admitting that he had, in fact, promised that he would call her, and then he asked, though it was more for Jose's benefit, "Why are you here so early?"

Grace pouted, slightly turning so she could glare at her godfather, before she explained, "Tio Jose said that I _had_ to go to school, but I could come to see Mama before we go out for breakfast. But I don't have to go to school, do I?"

Christian glanced briefly at Jose, understanding from his face that the man probably had to negotiate with Grace because it was clear that he wasn't rejoiced at the idea of Grace seeing her mother unconscious. And neither was Christian. Which was why he said, "How about we have breakfast first? Then, you'll have to go to school. Everyone must go. You have to go to school, and I'll have to go to work, and so does Jose."

"But we will see Mama, right? You promised that she is going to be okay."

Christian nodded, because, truth is told, he couldn't assure a hundred per cent that all would be fine. Sure, as Grace just pointed out, he had made that promise last night, but it wasn't that easy to do it again now that his daughter was in his arms.

Jose saved him from actually needing to comment anything by clearing his throat and announcing, "You two enjoy your breakfast together. I have a few things to do."

He gave a significant look to Christian, before walking in the direction where Christian had just come from. Christian was grateful because he knew that Ana wouldn't be alone, but in the meantime, he was hoping that Grace wouldn't ask any uncomfortable questions.

Still, he let Grace down from his hold, and the two of them went to the small cafe that was just by the hospital. She seemed rather excited and when they sat down with their food, she let Christian know, "Mama always makes me eat my breakfast at home. We never go out to eat breakfast."

She happily bit her muffin whilst Christian smiled at her. He sent a text to Sawyer for him to get to the hospital as soon as possible, so he could drive Jose and Grace to her school. And after that, he checked his email, happy to see that Andrea had found a company to deal with his problem and that everything should be taken care off before midday.

"So… since I am back in New York… how do you feel about sleeping at my place tonight?"

"But it is a school night. We always sleep at home on school nights."

"I know. But you spent many days at the hospital, didn't you? And you can't sleep at home on your own. I mean, if you want to stay at Jose's, I'll understand but… your Uncle Elliott is here?" He was failing at pleading his case to a four-year-old, which he found quite pathetic, given his profession.

"But what about Peanut? I can't leave Peanut alone with Tio Jose. He doesn't know how to take care of him!"

"Of course, Peanut can come."

Grace smiled then, her serious face relaxing, and Christian made a mental note that he would need to get to Jose's place to retrieve the cat. Christian sipped on his strong espresso as he watched his daughter do the same with her hot cocoa; it was obvious she was trying to mimic him. He repressed a smile and took his phone out to show to Grace the flowers he had ordered during the night so they would be delivered to Ana.

It was a bouquet of white and pale pink flowers. According to the description, there were roses, orchids and dahlias, but Christian could only recognise the roses in the bouquet. Not that he knew much about flowers.

"Oh, it's pretty. Are we going to buy this one for Mama?"

"I already did. Someone is going to deliver it from us."

She grinned, glad to be in on the confidence secret, before she brought her hand to the side of her mouth, and told Christian in a secretive tone, "Mama said that the best flowers are sunflowers. Because they are warm."

Christian nodded, keeping this precious information in a corner of his mind, and when they finished, he'd had the faint hope that Grace would have forgotten about it, but they went back to the hospital to see Ana. When they got to her room, Christian was still trying to figure out how to explain to the little girl that her mother was unconscious and wouldn't be able to talk to her, but they found her room door slightly opened and could hear her speaking to Jose.

Grace didn't waste a single second, letting go of Christian's hand before rushing to her mother by bursting the door wide open. Christian followed her in, finding Ana sitting on the bed, kissing her daughter's face, whilst Jose was sitting where Christian sat overnight, and he couldn't help but curse at the fact that he wasn't there when she woke up.

The bouquet had been delivered as it was on her bedside already, and there were no tubes linked to her anymore. He had left her for barely forty minutes, and that's when she decided to wake up.

"I'm so sorry, honey. I didn't mean to scare you. I should have been more careful," Ana reassured the young girl, holding her tight against her, and Jose hmphed, clearly not satisfied with this answer. In all honesty, neither was Christian. This could have easily turned very wrong. What if she had fallen after Grace had gone to bed, and had spent the night bleeding out…

Christian repressed a shudder, his eyes still on Ana, but he didn't move from the entrance of the room. He listened to Grace narrating her scary evening to her mother, and how she called 'Daddy' to help because he had told them when they were sleeping together that he would protect them both. And how scared she had been, but that she really enjoyed the Chebakia she ate at their neighbours. And she also reassured her mother that Peanut was unharmed, at Tio Jose's place.

"You've been such a brave girl, haven't you? I'm so proud of you."

Grace beamed and pointed at the flowers, "Do you like them? Daddy said that someone came especially to give them to you."

"They are _beautiful_. Thank you so much, to the both of you."

Ana glanced in his direction, before returning her attention to Grace, who was still speaking on her lap. Ana pointed at her school clothes and brought Grace back to reality as she told her, "You have to go to school now, honey. Otherwise, you are going to be late, and you won't learn anything."

Grace pouted but didn't argue, and she gave a big kiss to her mother. Jose got up and took her hand, but just as they were about to leave, Christian stopped him and kissed his daughter as well, and she whispered in his ear, "You take care of Mama like she took care of us when we were at the hospital, okay?"

He winked at her, before letting Jose know, "There is a car waiting for you. Grace already knows the driver, he'll get you to school, and then wherever you need to be."

Jose thanked him and left with Grace so Ana and Christian were all alone. He took his phone out and texted Elliott to let him know that Ana was conscious and to ask him to bring some decent breakfast for her, knowing how bland hospital food could be. Then, he walked to the chair previously occupied by Jose and sat on it, under Ana's careful blue gaze.

"So, I guess, given the look on your face, if I make the joke that I don't know who you are, it wouldn't be received well?"

He glared at her, not the slightest amused by her attempt to lightening the seriousness that was emanating from him. She sighed, rolling her eyes and asked, "Are you going to give me a lecture? Because for your information, I just got one. And I don't think that I should get multiple scoldings on the same day when _I _am the poor patient in a hospital bed." She pointed to her head wrapped in bandages.

"I'm not here to give you a lecture, Ana."

"Really? Because you have the same face as the one you had when I woke up in a hospital bed all those years ago." He didn't say anything, and so she smiled at him, "I'm okay. I'm alive. I just have a slight headache. Now stop brooding and give me a smile."

Against his better nature, he did, because she always had this faculty to make things seem not as bad as they were. Or maybe she was just an optimist, and he should stop being such a pessimist. Her smile got a bit bigger, and she moved a little, so he could come and sit closer to her. But he stayed on the chair, and let her know, "You and Grace are moving in with me as of today."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm not living through that again, Ana."

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head as if he was a kid, and she explained, "I slipped whilst cleaning the tub, Christian. It happens. Me being in my flat, or in your fancy condo couldn't change the fact. I would have slipped anyway."

"Had you been living at my place; the concierge would have come up and helped. I wouldn't have needed to rely on our daughter asking for help from complete strangers. Do you know how lucky we are that you happen to have decent neighbours? They could have been murderers or rapists! _They could have kidnapped Grace_! You have no idea how stressful this whole ordeal has been for me, and what went through my mind. I… I'm not waiting for that to happen again."

There was a small silence, during which Christian watched Ana take in the information, and when she opened her mouth, he made sure that his point was well made, "I'm not putting my child through that again."

"I agree. Grace shouldn't have had to go through that. I taught her how to call 911 and Jose, but since my phone was with me in the bathroom… I guess we're lucky she was bright enough to contact you. And anyway, the two of you seem to want this so bad, I felt bad, asking you to wait until the end of the year."

Christian nodded, glad that he didn't have to fight her too much for her to agree to this simple thing. "I already had Andrea find us, movers, so you don't have to worry about anything. They're supposed to get to your place today and start moving things to my place."

He saw how she pursed her lips, probably not too thrilled that the decision had been made beforehand, not taking into account whether she agreed or not. But she didn't argue with him and asked something else entirely. "Did you already tell Grace?"

"No. I thought we should tell her together. Maybe after school."

"Then why didn't she ask where she was sleeping tonight? Because the doctors are being big babies and threatening to keep me for another night."

"Oh. I asked her if she wanted to sleep with me tonight. And she said yes."

"Aww, did you, _Daddy_?" She teased, her tone and eyes showing that she knew how thrilled he was to finally be more than just Christian to Grace. He cleared his throat, doing his best to not gloat, and pretended that it was nothing.

"Yeah. I'm thinking that we're just going to go out for dinner, and then have a quiet evening at _our home_ with some bedtime stories. But anyway. Before I forget, I want to get rid of the unpleasantness, and… I think you need to get your _ducks in a row_ with Thomas.

I mean… I'm grateful Jose was here because I know nothing about you. Your blood-type, your allergies, your… _wishes_."

Ana chuckled and once again patted the empty space on her bed, waiting for him to finally get close to her. Once he did, she took his hand in hers and reminded him of something crucial, "Don't forget, Christian, I'm a lawyer. I already have all my affairs sorted, and no one will fight you for custody of Grace. And you don't need to manage me when talking about my possible death. But if you must know, just pull the plug. I don't want to risk being a vegetable. I know it's harsh, but that's my wish."

He wasn't sure how to respond. Ideally, he would rather Ana talk about this with Thomas, his lawyer, and only know about this if he was to ever read her will. He never had been comfortable talking about these kinds of things. Even though he had a will in place, his family was barely aware of it and what it entitled. Although it was the right thing to do, he just felt that it was morbid to put that much thought into his death.

Ana gently squeezed his hand and pressed her lips to his, caressing his face with her free hand. "Stop worrying so much, Christian. I told you, I'm here, and I'm alive."

"It's… you scared me. You have no idea what went through my mind."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I was just cleaning the tub and — "

"Well. I think that you shouldn't have to worry about cleaning tubs anymore. I… we barely had anything together. You can't leave me yet. You can't leave _us_."

She kissed him again to reassure him, though he understood she was avoiding the promise he was trying to get out of her. And he understood. It wasn't something she could promise, and Ana accorded a lot of value to her word. Especially when she gave it to people she cared about.

"Could you do something for me, please?" She asked, and he indicated for her to go on. "Could you please call Carla and ask her if she can pick her up Grace after school? Even if I manage to leave today, I doubt the hospital will let me leave by the time I can get ready to pick her up."

Ana had already explained in the past that she usually went to pick up Grace and that afterwards, Grace stayed at the day-care provided by Raymond's office. Christian himself had day-cares in both his Seattle and New York offices, but until now, he personally never had any use for them.

"I can do it," he volunteered, though he realised he had a video conference right at the time Grace finished school.

"Don't you have work?"

"Well, I can ask Elliott to pick her up. I'm sure he'd love an opportunity to spoil his niece without you nagging him about it."

Ana's smile turned into a pointed look that made him laugh. Even though Elliott only came for the weekend of Halloween, he had still found the time to find a flaw in Ana. Her 'ridiculous idea that no one should ever try to spoil Grace.' His words.

"I didn't know that Elliott came with you."

"Yes, I … I asked him to come," he said with a light voice, not really eager to tell her that in those dark moments when he had anticipated the worst, he cried on his brother's shoulders like a baby.

Still, it seemed that Ana read between the lines, because she squeezed his hand with empathy, and skillfully changed the topic. "So… about that dinner you're planning for tonight with that daughter of ours. Where do you want to take her?"

"I don't know yet. I'll ask Andrea to find us some reservations somewhere not far from home. So, we could walk there."

"What about just ordering pizza? I'm sure she'd love that," she said sweetly, but something in her tone indicated that there was more to it than just the pizza. He looked at her, and so she explained, "It's just that … Grace _loves_ spending time with you. Not so much going to fancy restaurants. She says that the food is good, but she is uncomfortable."

"Why didn't she say so?"

"Because as I said, she loves spending time with her Daddy."

Christian nodded, thinking that he never tried to see it from a kid's point-of-view. He only cared that the food was good and healthy, but sometimes, kids had to be kids. And anyway, Elliott would probably enjoy a pizza more than a restaurant as well.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Christian worked for the rest of the day, but from his apartment. He could have gone to the office he had in New York since Elliott had been more than happy to go pick up his niece from school (after Ana signed a paper stating that he could), but he felt that it would be better for Grace if he was somewhat there when she got home.

What he didn't expect was for _Peanut_ to be such a pain. Elliott had picked up the kitten just after they left Ana at the hospital, while Christian had gone straight back home to start working. When Elliott came back, he had been in the middle of a conference with Ros and the two new recruits. His brother had the great idea to set the feline wild and Peanut had decided to make it his mission to prevent Christian from working.

Christian rarely closed the door of his office because he had always been living alone, and there was no point. So, when the kitten popped its head through the half-open door, he didn't think much of it. After all, the apartment was a new place for the animal, and he was probably trying to make his marks. It was when Peanut jumped on his lap that things got annoying.

First because, though she didn't say anything, Christian saw Ros's smug smile that she clearly found the situation funny. Second, because Peanut did not understand what it was to stay still. He jumped on the desk, knocking over his pens and a glass of water, before deciding that his laptop was the best place to try and have a nap. And of course, settling down on the keypad ended the conference sooner than he had planned.

All-day, he had to battle with the cat, and his brother did not help, only laughing at him. When he tried to close the door, the cat would meow like an Italian widow on the other side, and when Christian would let him in, he would require _constant attention_. Which he found more than annoying, he felt lied to. All his life, everyone who had pets always said that cats were more independent than dogs, and this seemed to be a huge oversell.

Elliott, on the other hand, spent the day shopping for his kids, before he went to pick up Grace. Once they got home (after paying a quick visit to Ana) and Grace insisted on making sure that Christian was indeed in his office, bothered by her kitten, Elliott took her to the pool of Christian's building so Christian could finish working.

He still had much work to do given the fact that he came back from Seattle three days earlier than planned, and that he was working with the three hours difference, which inconvenienced him for his afternoon meetings. But he still made sure to set up an alarm at six, so he could have dinner with his daughter.

He had Andrea reschedule the meetings of the afternoon to the next day, telling her to cram everything as well as she could. He could have asked Jamie to fill in for him, but he was still waiting for him to prove himself, before asking him to do meetings without him present. He didn't want any slip-ups.

When six o'clock arrived, Christian left his office, though he knew he was bound to come back later in the evening to finish off a few things, and he found Grace and Elliott playing dolls in his room, with the cat from hell purring on her bed.

"Daddy! Uncle Elliott is bad like you at voices," Grace despaired, making both brothers laugh.

Christian mockingly looked at the doll in Elliott's hand, who wore a hat that matched the one on his brother's head. So far, he had been blessed, because Grace never asked him to play with her. He did once propose that they could do a puzzle together, but he quickly learned that this was something she did exclusively with Andrew. And as long as he could postpone the tea parties, he would.

"I guess it runs in the family. But I'm sure you're covered, and you'll get your mother's sweet voice," Christian assured, rewarded by Grace's bright smile. He had noticed that she was often saddened by the fact that she didn't look much like her mother (besides her hair and eyes), and so every chance he got to find similarities between the two, he made sure Grace was aware.

"Well, I guess we'll talk about the magic place of Neverland some other time," Elliott said, getting up and straightening his clothes.

Grace pouted, putting her dolly down as well, muttering under her breath, "But I wanted to know more about Peter Pan and Tinkerbell. Do you think I can go to Neverland, one day?"

"The thing is every night when you go to sleep and you dream, you go to a magical place. Who's to say that you don't go to Neverland?" Elliott said with a compliant smile, and Grace's blue eyes sparkled with wonder before she pouted again.

"But I _never_ have good dreams. Just bad ones. Is it because I am from London?"

The two men laughed, and Elliott ruffled her hair as he assured her, "You just don't remember the good ones. But I can assure you that every night you go to a magical place."

Christian saw how Grace put on her serious face, probably trying to get a plan in action so she would remember her dreams, and so he proposed, inspired, "How about I take you to a magical place now?"

"Can Peanut come too?" She asked with so much hope that it required Christian's strongest will to refuse her.

"I don't think it's a place appropriate for kittens."

"But he's going to be alone again. He's never alone after the sun is down."

"I'll stay with him. Just enjoy the magical place with your Dad," Elliott proposed, and Christian was grateful. He wouldn't have minded his brother to come, but he counted that it wouldn't have been the same with him there.

Elliott helped him get her ready by mostly removing every layer that Christian had put on his child. Christian tried to remind his brother that it was the middle of November, and it was cold, and Elliott argued that Grace needed to build a strong immune system against the cold and all its nastiness and the hundreds of layers Christian tried to make her wear wouldn't help with that.

So, in the end, Grace only had a warm coat and a scarf - the beanie, additional jumper and gloves that Christian had put on Grace, discarded on her bed. Both father and daughter had a happy smile plastered on their faces and Christian asked Sawyer to drive them to the Rockefeller building.

His prayers were answered when he saw that the van that made those delicious burgers was still there, and he bought two menus for Grace and himself. They ate in the car, and Christian was rewarded by Grace telling him that this was so much better than going to the restaurant. Still, she managed to unknowingly remind him of good manners when she offered half of her burger to Sawyer.

The driver declined, but Christian told him to go get himself some food when they left the car. Then, he picked up his daughter and discreetly bribed a guard of the famous building (just like Ana had done so many years ago) so they could go on the rooftop, and once there, he showed Grace the city. It was plunged in the darkness of the night, and yet shined with millions of lights, making it seem like they were in a star-filled sky.

He looked at his daughter, whose eyes were sparkling with wonders, but when he set her down, she practically pointed out, "This not a magic place."

"It is."

She shook her head, putting her hands on her hips and looking so much like her mother at this very instant. "It's not. Because there aren't any fairies, or witches, or unicorns. Where is the magic?"

He squatted so he could be at her level, and he touched her nose, before pointing at the spot where Ana and he had eaten all those years ago. "It's right here."

She frowned, and he sat on the floor, as he did back then, taking Grace on his lap as he explained, "That's the place where I started falling in love with your mother."

_Christian looked at the brunette before him, a lock of her hair still tangled in his fingers, and when she cleared her throat and he let her away from him, it hit him. Maybe, just maybe, he could try having more than a platonic relationship with Ana. She was as driven as him for her own dreams, and yet, she still made him feel special every time they were alone. _

_Maybe that was why the comment she made about him sacrificing time for her bothered him. He never actually felt like he was wasting time when he was with her. And he knew this was an oddity, to begin with. No matter with whom he spent time, if he wasn't talking business, or doing something for his business, he felt like he was wasting his time. And this was one of the reasons why he had distanced himself from his family. The main one was Elliott, and how Christian had poorly handled his brother's grief. But the truth was, he often felt like he was wasting his time, and his mind was always elsewhere. _

_With Ana, it had started like that, but she didn't mind that he would work whilst talking to her or dining with her. And he often found himself putting his phone down for the pleasure of spending half an hour with her. And now… now that she was simply happy to celebrate the end of her first semester with him, her beautiful hair flying around her perfect face, now he was starting to wonder if maybe he could give a shot to this relationship thing. _

_This was the first time since he had met her that he thought of her as someone he could share his life with, not just in a business relationship, or because he wanted to take her to his bed, but just as a person. As a lover. _

_He felt a knot tightening in his stomach, becoming bigger and bigger, and instinctively, he brought his hand to her face and caressed her cheek, loving the slight shade of pink covering them. No matter how crude he could get with her, Ana rarely blushed, so he liked knowing that for once, his mere presence made her body temperature rise. _

_He saw how her eyes got glossy, never blinking away from him, and all he wanted to do at this right moment, was to lean and kiss her, take her breath away and give in into those maybes that his heart was throwing at him. And that was exactly why he didn't do it. He rarely followed a maybe when the odds were so against him. And he knew that would he kiss her, Ana would terminate their contract and never contact him again, just as it should be. _

_So, he let go of her face and cleared his throat, talking about something else other than her and him. _

Grace was looking at him with big bright eyes, seeming eager to hear the story, and he cleared his throat, shaking his memory away as he tried to explain the simplified version to his daughter.

"You have to understand, sweetie, that I've always been a busy man. I was even more busy when I met your Mom. And yet she… she took me here one night so I could taste those burgers and look at this view. But… there was something in the way she looked, in the way she made me feel… I don't know, Grace. I just know that _this_ is where I knew your Mom was more than just a friend for me."

Grace's eyes were filled with sparkles, and she let Christian in on a secret. "Mama always said that she loved you because you were a nice man."

"Oh really?" He questioned, doubting that Ana had anything nice to say about him to their daughter when she thought he couldn't give a damn about them.

"Yes. I asked her once in London. And she said that she fell in love with you because you have a big heart and you are gene…rous. But she said also that you don't want people to know. Is it true?"

"Your mother knows me better than I know myself, that's for sure. I guess she's right. I like to keep to myself."

"Why?"

"Because … sometimes people try to hurt you when they know how you feel about them."

Grace frowned, her serious face on, and she shook her head. "It doesn't make sense."

"You're right, it doesn't," he admitted with a chuckle.

"But… you said you will protect us. So, you won't try to hurt mama and me, right? Even if we love you?"

"Never. You are my favourite people in the world," he promised, poking her nose again, and she giggled, before seriously asking, "What about _your_ mommy and daddy? And Uncle Elliott? Mama said that they are your family, and that family is important."

He wasn't even surprised that Ana would teach this to their daughter. This was the one thing that she had been craving all her life, so of course, family would always be important in Ana's eyes. Which was why she always insisted Christian spend time with his, and why she made sure that now that they knew about Grace, his family would never feel excluded from her life.

"You're right. You are the most important brunettes in my life. My favourites in fact."

Grace giggled when he tickled her a little (as well as he could, given the fact that she still had her coat on). When they got up to head back down, where it would be less windy and cold, Grace glanced at the place where her parents' love had bloomed, and she let her father know, "You know, Daddy, it's not a magic place. But it's a special place, and I love it."

Christian mysteriously smiled at his ever so pragmatic daughter, and let her know, "But what is magic, if not a certain kind of special?"

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, Ana is alive without amnesia. See, I am nice. As she said, it was just something that could have happened to anyone. And, just to make it clear, she was cleaning the tub after her shower, and so she was just wrapped in her towel when she slipped. I have been made aware that it wasn't really clear. **

💚**Now question time,**

**1\. Now, this first question is mostly for the working people and above. How do you feel about this whole will thing? Are you more like Ana, or more like Christian?**

**2\. Now, Christian and Grace got a few moments together, being cute and all. But which one was your favourite? Breakfast, or dinner?**

**3\. And Ana and Grace are moving in with Christian. Not that he gives them a choice. How do you feel about that?**

**4\. And how do you feel about Christian's magic place?**

**5\. Also, the scene when Elliott has to intervene when Christian dressed Grace as if she was going skiing just cracks me up. I don't know why haha. **

**6\. And something kind of important happened in this chapter. Anyone guessing gets a sneak peek of next chapter ^^**

**7\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? Mine was Christian struggling to do his daughter's hair. **

**8\. And what do you think will happen next? **

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	17. Chapter 15: Rose Quartz & Bourbon

**My dear little broccolis💚💚💚**

**💚 So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

**‼️ABOUT THE REVIEWS‼️**

**1\. So, yes, I know, talking about death is no fun, but when you let your family know when the times come, they know what to do. And believe me, it is much better like that. When you just lost someone, you just want to mourn. You don't want to think about all the other stuff at that time. But I can understand people like Christian who don't like to think about it. **

**2\. Also, I want to point out that, though Christian wants to ultimately live in Seattle, he never told this to Ana ... And remember that Mary died mid-September and that Halloween was just last week ...**

**3\. And yes, Christian definitely showed a side that left place to very little arguments. But he himself said it in the past, he has no patience, and he is used to things going his way, one way or the other, people do as he says.**

**4\. And about Grace not fussing staying at her father's place. Remember that she petitioned as well for them to live together. And now, she knows him better. **

**‼️DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW‼️**

**💚Also, I am sorry I didn't update last week, I just got overwhelmed with life in general.**

**💚Also, also, this story has been nominated in the FSOGtop5, so if you could go vote for it on Facebook, that would be very appreciated ^^**

**💚 Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy 💚**

**Chapter 15: Rose Quartz & Bourbon (8,1K)**

**So about this title, Rose quartz is a precious stone that supposedly restores trust and harmony in couples. It is also said to open the heart and heal the deep wounds. And bourbon, well … Christian is always some sort of whiskey, you got that by now ^^**

On their way home, Christian decided to just walk with Grace, given the fact that it was much warmer on the ground than it had been on the top of the building. And he did not regret his decision as Grace marvelled at the windows of the shops they walked by. So he promised himself that he would ultimately take her shopping one day, though it would definitely be without her mother, given the fact that Ana always liked to nag when he wanted to actually spend his hard-earned money on her.

Grace held his hand for the thirty minutes it took them to go back to their home, letting him know all about her day at school, as well as her prowess at the pool with her Uncle Elliott. She even bragged that Elliott had praised her that she was a good swimmer and that she would soon no longer need her floaties. When they got home, they had the good surprise to find Ana eating a pizza on the couch with Elliott, her head no longer wrapped in bandages.

Grace screeched at the sight of her mother and ran to her, forgetting all about her father, who simply smiled at Ana. Though he was surprised, given the fact that the doctors had mentioned the possibility of keeping Ana an extra night, and he had strongly encouraged that notion, he didn't put it above Ana to do everything she could to be released as soon as possible. She didn't like people fussing over her, even when it was obviously needed.

"Did you have fun with your Daddy? Where did he take you?" Ana asked with interest, but Grace put her finger on her lips and solemnly declared, "It's a special place, so I can't tell you."

"A special place, uh?" Ana mimicked with a smile addressed to Christian, and she helped Grace out of her coat as she told her, "Well, this is a school night, honey. So now, we're going to brush those little teeth and get to bed. It's already past your bedtime."

Grace pouted, but didn't argue, and followed her mother out of the room. Christian sat next to his brother, noticing with displeasure the glasses of wine. Surely Ana shouldn't drink so soon after being cleared from the hospital.

"Relax, we only had a glass each. And Ana didn't even finish hers," Elliott said, noticing his gaze. Christian didn't reply, simply taking Ana's glass and finishing it for her as he asked, "When do you plan on going back?"

"Are you kicking me out?"

"No. On the contrary. I'd … appreciate it if you stayed over the weekend."

Elliott nudged him with his elbow, "Trying to get me to babysit whilst you get crazy with Ana? I guess I could take Grace to the Museum if she has the patience. Well, I could take her shopping and finally get the joy of buying dresses, but _some parents_ seem to think it's a crime to treat a child."

Christian laughed, agreeing with Elliott that Ana always nagged about anyone trying to treat her daughter. Apparently making Grace happy resulted in spoiling her. Still, though the opportunity of being intimate with Ana was appealing, it wasn't the reason why he wanted his brother to stay.

"No. It's not that. I have moved a business dinner to tomorrow evening, and … I'd like for Ana to come with me. I'm pretty sure she won't want to ask Jose since Grace already spent last night at his place."

Elliott agreed, explaining that his boys were all too happy to be rid of him for the weekend anyway. After all, every time they stayed at their grandparents, they got away with murder, and Christian was pretty sure that Ana would have an issue with that for Grace. God forbid anyone tries to spoil the kid.

"By the way … you know what I told you last time …" Elliott started, though he was interrupted by Ana holding Grace in her arms and asking Christian, "Do you want to help me put her to bed?"

Christian promptly got up, though he glanced at his brother for him to finish his sentence. Elliott's eyes briefly went to the brunettes, before he shook his head with a smile and leaned to pour himself another glass of wine as he quickly said, "About Kate. Make sure you actually apply what I told you."

As he followed the two girls to Grace's room, Christian was lost for a moment, trying to understand what his brother had tried to imply. It was only when Ana tugged Grace in that he snapped back to the present moment, mostly because, to his surprise, Ana had refused Grace her usual bedtime story.

"Tonight, I have something important to tell you, honey."

Christian frowned, not sure where she was going with this. They still hadn't had time to explain to Grace that this was now her only residence, and he had thought that they would do it over the weekend. But Ana seemed to have thought that the sooner the better, and he was certainly not going to complain about that.

"Do you remember how you said you wished your Daddy lived with you all the time? Well … he and I talked, and we decided that it would be best for you if we all lived together here."

Though Christian's eyes were on Grace when Ana dropped the news, he couldn't help but briefly glance at her, slightly disturbed by her phrasing. And then, what Elliott had said hit him. In fact, it went perfectly in line with what his mother had also said. It wasn't that he didn't like the idea of Ana telling Grace about their relocation, but more that he was bothered by the way Ana phrased it. It sounded a lot as if she was only doing it for Grace.

Grace looked from her mother to her father, her serious face on as she was trying to understand. "So … we're not going back home?"

"This is your home, now," Christian explained, getting closer to the bed. Given the fact that he knew that Grace had been petitioning for him to live with the girls, he had expected her to be thrilled by this new piece of news, but she seemed anything but.

"But … why can't we live all together at home?"

Ana opened her mouth, probably to give some rational explanation that the little girl would understand, but Christian was quicker to voice his incomprehension. "I thought you wanted us to live together?"

"I do. But _at home_."

"But … _this_ is your home. I thought you liked it here."

"But what about Andrew? And Tio Jose and Karl? They never come here. Only mama and me."

"They can come at any time. In fact, how about we invite Andrew for lasagna night?" Christian immediately proposed, relieved that there wasn't any real underlying issue about Grace's lack of thrill.

She shook her head, pouting a little. "Oh no. everyone is going to eat my lasagna. We should invite him on another day."

Ana chuckled, rolling her eyes as she admonished her daughter, "Grace … you should always share what you love the most. This is how you show you are a nice person."

Grace's pout did not disappear, and Ana kissed her cheek to ease her sullen mood as she once again properly tucked the little girl in. Grace repressed a yawn, her eyes heavy with sleep, and when Christian leaned in to kiss her goodnight, she wrapped her little arms around him, and said, "Goodnight Daddy."

He couldn't stop the smile that spread his lips, even when Ana gave him a look that showed that she knew that he was beaming inside. Then, Ana hesitated before kissing their daughter as well, as she let her know, "Honey, if you have a bad dream tonight, you will have to go to your father's room."

"Why?"

"Because that is where I will be."

"Why? Do you have nightmares?"

"No. But … when a mommy and a daddy live together, they sleep together as well."

Grace sat back up, her brows knotted as she was trying to understand, and so Christian intervened, "What your Mom is trying to tell you is that we are a real family now."

He was surprised that Ana finally told Grace, especially without giving him any head start, but he was not going to complain about it. Now that Grace knew, it really felt indeed like a family.

"But … why does Mama sleep with you and not me?"

"Because you have your own room, and you are a big girl," Ana explained.

"But it's not _fair_. I am little. I should sleep with him too! Please, Daddy?" She added in Christian's direction, and he was ready to give in, knowing that it mostly meant a sleepless night for him, when Ana forced Grace to lay back down and explained, "You didn't sleep with Jose and Karl when you stayed with them. That's because you're a big girl."

"But it's not the same, they're married. _Are you married_?!" She asked with indignation, clearly thinking that her parents had kept this big secret from her.

"No. _Of course_ not, honey. We are just adults, and adults can sleep together if they want. Children sleep on their own, so they can grow to be strong and healthy all on their own. Don't you want to be strong and healthy?"

"Yes," the young girl pouted, still clearly annoyed that she had to sleep on her own when her parents got to sleep together, and so Christian sweetened the pot, "But that doesn't mean you can't come in at any time for anything, okay?"

Grace nodded, though the sadness was still obvious and Christian kissed her cheek once again before leaving the little girl's bedroom with Ana, who did not completely close the door. She started walking back to the living room when Christian stopped her and made her face him so he could delicately trace her face.

"I do realise that I've been … rather forceful in making you girls move but …"

"It's okay, Christian. We both know that it was just a question of time," she said, without an ounce of resentment. He gave her a small smile before leaning in and pressing his lips against her soft ones.

She moved a little so she could be closer to him, and they shared a sweet and intimate kiss that was only broken by the cat snaking its ways between their legs. Christian rolled his eyes, wondering if there was anything that the furball would not interrupt for him, and Ana chuckled, tapping his chest as she said, "Go to your brother, I'm going to get ready for bed."

"Do you need any help?" He asked, definitely more interested in seeing Ana naked than anything else. But she didn't understand his innuendo since she rolled her eyes and retorted, "I'm a big girl, Christian, I don't need anyone to wash my face for me."

She gave him a quick kiss and he watched her go to their bedroom before he went back to the living room, where he found his brother FaceTiming his sons. He waved hello to the kids and sat by his brother's side and went through his phone, letting him finish his conversation with the boys.

As Elliott finished his conversation with his children, Peanut jumped on the couch to sit between the two brothers, making Elliott laugh as Christian kept thinking how every single cat owner he had known lied to him. Starting with Ros. The kitten was nothing like the independent animals that had been sold to him.

Elliott glanced at the kitten, and even before he opened his mouth, Christian knew what he was going to say. "So … _Peanut_ huh?"

"Shut up."

"I think it's an interesting name, to be fair. Very … _personal_."

"Grace is the one who picked the name," Ana said as she walked back into the living room, dressed in sweats and a tank top and her hair tied into a single braid.

Elliott grinned, getting up to leave his place to Ana and sit on the opposite sofa. And he asked as she took the kitten in her arms, "Did you know that Peanut is always Christian's nickname?"

"I gathered," she said mindlessly, petting the kitten as Christian got closer to her. Now that they were officially together in the eyes of Grace, he was going to take every chance he had to be close to Ana. He had always been a rather tactile guy in his relationships, and it wasn't going to stop now.

So he rested his hand on her lap as his brother kept with his tale of how he got his nickname. "Everyone assumed it was because he was so small when he was a baby, but it's more that he was _obsessed_ with peanuts. Peanut butter of course, but he used to follow me around everywhere, asking me to open monkey peanuts for him. _Everywhere_."

_"Elliott, please?" Christian asked, showing yet another peanut to his brother for him to open them. _

_No matter how many times he had seen Elliott crack a peanut for him, he still couldn't understand the magic behind it all. He wished he could just snap his fingers like his big brother and open the peanuts himself, but he always crushed them when he tried. And Elliott always opened the peanuts perfectly, so they could paint them after. And he always gave him his in secret as well. _

Ana chuckled, her eyes quickly going to Christian with mirth as she said, "If I had known that you were so easy to please, I would have simply invested in peanuts."

"You can still do it. But there are other simple ways you can please me."

She smirked, but Elliott quickly intervened, pretending to swoon, "Aww, young love."

Christian ignored his brother, slipping Ana's hand in his as she directed the conversation elsewhere, squeezing his hand with a small smile.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

They went to bed much later than any of them had expected, mostly all talking through the evening, the two brothers digging up old memories that made Ana laugh and smile with them. Elliott and Christian finished the bottle of wine whilst Ana was sipping on tea, so when he laid in the bed, Christian was definitely feeling slightly tipsy.

He watched with a satisfied smile as Ana slipped into bed next to him, and caged her in his arms as soon as she was under the covers, passionately kissing every inch of her skin he could access. Ana giggled, which was something she rarely did and she opened her mouth to him when his lips met hers.

Without even thinking about it, he rolled so he could be on top of her, a strong desire for her suddenly surging inside him, and he let his hands travel beneath her shirt, loving feeling the softness of her skin and the smell of coconut Ana always had before going to bed.

It was only when he started grinding against her, tearing a moan out of her that Christian came back to his senses, and rolled on the side, taking deep breaths to calm himself down. He heard Ana do the same thing next to him before she moved so she could look at him with a sweet smile, leaning on her elbows as he explained, "I got carried away. I forgot about Grace and Elliott for a moment."

"Understandable."

He raised his hand to caress her cheek, feeling a strange knot in his stomach as he thought back of how he was feeling not even twenty-four hours ago. "I just … I'm glad you're okay."

She smiled and kissed him, before she proposed, "I could ask Jose to take Grace tomorrow night. So we could have some … _grown-up time_."

Christian briefly furrowed his brows, before shaking his head and refusing this golden opportunity Ana was giving them. "No. Not tomorrow." She raised an eyebrow, and he explained, "There are a couple of reasons. But I managed to push a business meeting for tomorrow for dinner, and I want you to come with me."

She raised an eyebrow to him, clearly not expecting that. "I want you to meet Jamie. If he holds up, he is ultimately going to ease up my workload, and he will be in my shadow quite a lot in the meantime. So I want you to get used to him."

"So … how is this not working for us? If I ask to look after Grace, she will spend the night at his place, and we can get crazy after your business dinner," she pragmatically pointed out.

"I already asked Elliott, and he's thrilled to have an occasion to be with his niece without _any parent to nag him about wanting to treat her_."

She twisted her mouth on the side, clearly not happy about this piece of news and Christian chuckled, tracing the contour of her shoulder as he wondered, "Why is it so difficult for you to accept that some people just want to spoil our child?"

She hesitated, and when he saw that she was about to do what she did best and elude his question, he took her chin between his fingers and forced her to look at him. She sighed and said, "It's just that … I know you, Christian. You like to spend on people you care about and I just don't want Grace to become entitled. I want her to know the value of a dollar, the value of hard work, the fact that sometimes, no matter how much effort you put into something, you don't get what you want. I just want her to know life is not as sweet as you would love to make her believe."

"So what? Shall I let her suffer for the rest of her life? What's the point of having money if I can't spend it on —"

"That's not what I'm saying. I just want her to appreciate more the moments she has with you, that the comfort that you'll bring her. Moments are what makes a life worth living for, not money."

He looked deep in her blue eyes, seeing her point-of-view, though it didn't stop the fact that he was still going to make sure that his kid would want for nothing in life. His hand left her chin to cup her cheek, and he asked, "What's _our_ moment, then?"

"We have many. And hopefully, we will make many more." He held her gaze, silently asking her to name one of those moments. "When you came to LA, even though you didn't have to. You could have gone on with your day, just like you did when Ann passed away, but you didn't."

He felt his heart race as another question burnt his lips. He knew that if he asked, she would answer, but he wasn't sure if he wanted the answer. "What about when we had the contract. Were there any moments that had value in your eyes?"

She looked down, her brows slightly furrowed, and Christian instantly regretted his question. He had known from the start that he wouldn't like the answer, so why did he need to torture himself? And yet, she whispered with a mix of sadness and nostalgia, "We made Grace, didn't we?"

She looked up, with a small smile, and Christian agreed, bringing her closer to him so he could kiss her. _They made Grace_. And no matter how much he loved the little girl and how much he couldn't even fathom a life without her, he knew the awful truth. He knew that, had Ana known that she had been pregnant, he would have simply written her a check and sent her to his lawyer. In fact, he knew that the only reason he even met Grace was that she had been sick. And he was pretty sure that Ana was very well aware of that.

Ana rested her head on his torso, playing with the fabric of his shirt, and she asked, "What's the second reason you didn't want to ask Jose to help us have some well deserved, awesome sex?"

He hesitated for a moment, mostly because deep down, he knew he was being ridiculous. But still, when Ana stopped her soothing movements to tilt her head up, he let her know, "It … it's just … I've always been a passionate and instantaneous man when it comes to sex and … I don't know. It just feels weird to schedule our lovemaking."

"Granted, you're right. I just think it would be weirder if Grace heard us and asked us in the morning why mommy was asking daddy to 'give it to her'."

He shook his head with a chuckle, definitely not ready for the birds and the bees conversation. "Yes. I just wish we had other options that would make it feel more organic."

Ana kissed his chest with compassion, before breaking out of their embrace and stretching so she could switch off the light of his nightstand. Then she laid back on the bed, and Christian immediately spooned with her as she promised, "We will. You are the living proof that parents can have sex with a kid around."

"I didn't need that image in my mind," he whined before kissing her neck. She chuckled, cuddling against him and resting her left hand on his own, and as his fingers intertwined with hers, the image of the ring he had bought for her popped in his mind.

Now would be a good time as any to pop the question again. After all, she had just moved in with him, and they had told their daughter that they would be a family. And Grace had already unknowingly put that idea in their mind. He opened his mouth, calling her babe, ready to tell her of his plan to marry her, when he stopped himself, remembering at the last second a part of the letter she had sent him on Christmas.

Ana was a romantic. And him proposing in the dark of the night was certainly not going to be enough for her. So when Ana asked him what he had been about to say, he went on a completely different topic. "I didn't expect you to tell Grace straight away that we are together. I thought you would put it off for as long as you could."

"Oh! That makes me think!" She sat right back up, switching back on the light on her side of the bed, and she turned to Christian. "Can I have your phone?"

He gave it to her, though he had no idea what sparked that sudden outburst and she asked, "It's your personal phone, right?"

"Yeah? What's wrong?"

"I'm just putting in Grace's and my details. In case something happens, you should know everything. You know, allergies, blood type, past operations, organ donations, and so on."

"Oh. Do you want mine?"

"It's okay, Elliott got you covered earlier," she mindlessly replied, quickly typing into his phone before she gave him back the phone, and reminded him, "Remember, if I'm past saving, don't revive me. If you do, I'll come back to haunt you as soon as I die."

Then she kissed him as if they hadn't been just talking about her probable death. Christian wondered if she was so comfortable with the idea of dying because she was a lawyer, or if it was the way she grew up that made her so prone to accept meeting their maker.

"Anyway...I told Grace because she's going to hear about it soon anyway. Roger called me when I was still stuck at the hospital, and he told me that you would release a public statement about her on Monday."

"What?"

"Didn't you tell him that you wanted to make a statement?"

"Yes. But he had no right to call you. I'm going to have his head," he snapped with anger. He understood why Roger spoke to Ana, she was more open to discussion than he was, and every time in the past that Roger had wanted Christian to lean a certain way, Ana had made him bend in that direction. But still, this was crossing the line.

"Stop being ridiculous. You hired him to keep your image pristine, and he came up with a rather decent solution that will keep your image perfect."

"I don't care about my image. I just don't want you girls plastered —"

"Of course you care about your image. Let's be honest here. But I know you also care about Grace. And that's why I like Roger's statement. Basically, it will heavily rely on this loophole created by the fact that you never released a statement that we were no longer together. And it will imply that you knew about Grace all along and that we only went to London to protect her anonymity and give her a sort of normal start in life. Roger said that you travelled enough of the past five years for the story to match up."

"Isn't it a bit far fetched?"

"People would rather believe in a beautiful lie than the ugly truth."

Christian wished that the light was still on so he could see her face. He could see how Roger came up with this idea, but it was a blatant lie, and he never thought Ana would agree to lie so overtly. She seemed to be someone who placed a high value in her word.

"And you're okay with lying to the press. To the whole wide world?"

"It's not lying. It's tweaking with the truth. I know that, had you known about Grace, you would have done your best to keep her hidden." Christian rolled his eyes, hearing the lawyer in her. It wasn't tweaking, it was an outright lie, but lawyers liked to pretend otherwise.

"And anyway, I know you want to protect her, and I think it's the best way. It's what she believes. I don't want her bullied in school and called names because some stupid article would have printed something the wrong way.

And even for your company. We both know that a loving father and family present better than a cold businessman who's only owning up to his indiscretion."

"She's not an —"

"I know. But if you say things as they are, that's how people will see it. I really don't mind, Christian or I wouldn't have told Roger otherwise."

He turned her so he could look at her silhouette and she brought her hand to his face, silently letting him know that she was really okay with it. "What would I do without you?"

He started kissing her, though this time there was a desperation in his touch. All his fears from last night came back to him, one by one reminding him that he had been so close to losing her forever. So close to being a single father. His kiss became more urgent as if he was trying to melt her into him, and when she finally broke it to get some air, he hid his face in her neck, as he told her in a strange voice,

"You can't leave us, babe. I would _never_ be able to do what you did. I can't be a single parent. I can't raise her alone."

She delicately kissed his lips, wrapping her arms around his neck in a reassuring embrace as she promised him (though it wasn't the promise he actually wanted), "You are not alone. You have your parents and your brother. And no matter what, Jose will always do his best to be in Grace's life. I mean, he takes his Godfather's duty very seriously. He Skyped her every week when we were in London, came to see us for her birthday and Christmas, he … you wouldn't be alone, Christian. No more than I was."

"I don't care how you see it. You could have died, and I can't even _think_ of that possibility. So just so you know, from tomorrow on, Sawyer is your shadow. Well, Grace's, but —"

"Christian …"

"No. This is not negotiable. I don't care about your theory of clumsiness and accidents, I'm not risking it."

"Well, who's going to look after you, Mr 50MIL?" Christian chuckled as he heard the little nickname she had given him on her birthday. He was pretty sure that she had called him that several times in her head, but, back then, only inebriated by the alcohol did she dare say it to his face.

"Taylor is coming tomorrow. I think I can do half a day on my own."

"Christian! What about his son? Parker needs his father around."

"And Grace needs her mother alive. It's not up for debate."

She heavily breathed in, clearly not agreeing with him, but fully aware that the battle was lost. If he was honest with himself, this was something he had wanted to do for a long time. Ever since he realised that she was reckless enough to run on her own at the darkest hours of the day. But back then, her trust issues were so high that he didn't dare propose a security guard for her.

"Whilst we are on the sensitive topics …" He started, and Ana chuckled, repressing a yawn, which was a bad thing for Christian. He knew how fast she could fall asleep, and he wanted her to fully take his words in.

"Didn't we get to bed like an hour ago?" She joked.

"It's the novelty of it all. I promise after a few years, we'll get to sleep as soon as we touch the pillows."

"_Years_?!" He laughed, and she slapped his chest before resting her head on it.

"Anyway… I wanted to tell you something, but no matter how I will phrase it, it's going to turn out wrong."

"Just say it, then. There is very little you could say now that would shock me."

"… I want you to quit your job."

It was clear by her reaction that she didn't expect him to say that. She rose up, leaning on her hands so she could distinguish his silhouette, and he could feel her braid tickling his torso.

"Yeah … that _definitely _came out wrong. Because for a second, I thought you said that —"

"That's what I said."

"But I love my job. That's … that's what I studied for. That's why you put me in contact with Raymond. That's —"

"It's not what you wanted. That's not what you studied for. You wanted to help kids. And I get that you had to make a choice, but that choice is void now. You live with me. You don't have to worry about paying the bills. You can —"

"Depend on you?" She immediately cut him off, her voice going an octave higher and showing her panic.

He held her closer, kissing her neck to reassure her as he asked her, "Isn't that what a relationship is about? Depending on the other?"

She scoffed, "And how are you depending on me?"

"In every other way that is not financial. This evening is a perfect example. I never would have rekindled a relationship with my brother, or my family, if it hadn't been for you. And you seem to forget you are the mother of my child. I don't think you realise how much I am depending on you for everything else in life.

In the past, you kept telling me that I needed balance, and those years apart taught me one thing, _you_ were my balance. Let me do this one thing for you. Let me provide for you, so you can live out your dream."

"Christian …" She started, still trying to find arguments to plead her cause, and so he said with a bit of temper, "Call me a caveman if you must, but I always thought that the most financially stable partner was supposed to provide for their family? If the roles were reversed, I wouldn't be arguing so much. I would appreciate you giving me the opportunity to live my dream!"

For two long minutes, Ana remained silent, before she gently squeezed his hand and promised, "I'll think about it."

Once again, he kissed her neck, silently thanking her for finally showing some open-mindedness, and he couldn't help thinking of the conversation he had with his mother a few days ago.

_"I have to say, this is a most welcomed surprise, Christian. I almost thought your PA was making a practical joke when she contacted me," Grace said as Christian sat in front of her, and he simply smiled at her, signalling for a waiter to be sent straight away to their table. He only had one hour for lunch, and he didn't want to have to wait for more than necessary. _

_"To be honest, I do have ulterior motives," he admitted, and Grace raised an unsurprised eyebrow just as the waiter got to their table asking them what they wanted. _

_Christian ignored the menu, asking for the day's special as soon as possible, and sparkling water (because he knew his mom liked sparkling water best). Grace ordered the same with a polite smile to the waiter, and once they were alone again, she questioned, "Does this have anything to do with Ana?"_

_"How do you know?"_

_"Because, despite this being my job, I am still your mother, Christian."_

_Though it annoyed him to be so transparent to his mother, Christian didn't say anything or even let it show. But the thing was, she was right. He had no idea how to get Ana to drop her guard down so she would trust him. This was an issue that had kept him awake several times in the past, but now, it was a constant buzzing noise in his ear. _

_Sure, Ana was open to conversation (well, more than before) and she never shut him down, but he knew that, if their daughter hadn't been in the picture, he would still be struggling as much as he did in the past. And there was also that small issue that was bugging him, but he didn't know how to bring it up to Ana. _

_"Well … the thing is … I … I do love her. And she knows it. But … I don't know … sometimes, it feels that she's in it … I don't know …"_

_"I don't think she's in it for the money. She would have dragged you to court as soon as she gave birth if she was," Grace said pragmatically, and Christian shook his head, dismissing that volatile idea. If there was one thing he knew for sure, it was that Ana never really cared for his money. She didn't mind it, but it always made her uncomfortable when he spent more than he should on her._

_"No. It's not the money. I just think that … she's not giving 100% in our relationship. She's … I don't know."_

_He had expected his mother to reassure him and tell him that he was being paranoid, but she condescendingly patted his hand, smiling at him as if he was a child again. _

_"If you could not bask in my dismay, that would be great."_

_"I'm sorry. It's just the first time you're asking _**_me_**_ for advice about anything in your life. You've always gone to your father or your brother." Christian didn't say anything about that, and Grace gently squeezed his hand as she told him, _

_"I don't need to be a shrink to help you with that. Just as a mother, it is quite obvious. And I'm sorry to tell you that Christian, but, given her past, I don't think Ana will ever be able to give you 100%. Not anymore. You have another person, and Grace will always be Ana's priority."_

_Christian closed his eyes, not liking that his mother was confirming his doubts. Ana was only with him because ultimately, it was what was best for Grace. The waiter deposited the food in front of them, and as he begrudgingly took his fork, Grace added, _

_"Now, as a therapist who knows very little about Ana, I can also guess that she has trust and abandonment issues. I mean, though neither of you said anything, it's quite obvious to me that she had quite a terrible childhood. I think that's why she is so attached to Grace and why Grace is so attached to her. _

_I don't think they really cut the umbilical cord. Grace is quite possessive when it comes to her mother, which is why she always refers to her as 'my mommy' when she doesn't call her mama. And she also needs to know where her mother is at all times. Which is why I don't think either of them is ready for a whole weekend apart. _

_And … I also think Ana fought very hard to be as independent as she is. She probably had bad experiences in her past relationships, and now, she's probably fearing that getting romantically involved with you will take away her independence. _

_But once again, those are just theories. Ana clearly doesn't like the idea that I could psychoanalyse her, and she always does her best to keep me at a safe distance, and to say as little as possible in my presence."_

He held Ana closer to him, trying to just make one with her as he told her, "I'm not trying to put pressure on you, babe. I just want to take care of you, the same way you take care of Grace and me. I just want you to be happy."

"I _am_ happy, Christian," she assured him, her voice vibrating with sincerity. "I'm in fact the happiest I've been in years. I have Grace and you, both in my life."

"I just want you to fulfil those dreams you had when we met. Those dreams that made your whole face light up when you talked about them."

Once again, she gently squeezed his arm, and he felt that he said something wrong, though he couldn't tell what it was. So he just kissed her neck, and confessed from the bottom of his heart, "I love you."

She moved so she could kiss him, before cuddling against him, and though he knew he should not let it bother him that she still hadn't said the words back, it did. But he did not make a big deal out of it, closing his eyes as his mother's voice preaching him patience echoed in his brain.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The next day was really strange to Christian. Probably because it was the first time he was assisting at a school run for Grace, and that his little girl was a completely different person in the morning. If it could be possible, she was even more active than before, when Christian had never been a morning person. She was asking a thousand and one questions, and Christian was so grateful that his brother was there to answer them.

Ana (who had gotten up an hour before him) had made oatmeal for all of them, and when she poured him some hot coffee, Christian instinctively acted, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing her good morning. When Ana broke their embrace to put the pot back at its place, Christian caught Grace looking at them with a big smile, her elbows on the table and her chin on her hands. And he couldn't help but compare that smile to the same one she had when she would watch an old Disney cartoon.

Though Ana took care of almost everything in the morning, including fixing his tie (which had always been a fantasy of his), Grace insisted that _he_ would be the one doing her hair and during the whole struggle he had with her hair, he head Elliott snigger behind him, though he couldn't blame him. He had meant to do a slick ponytail, and it was already falling apart. She definitely had too much hair, and it was in those moments Christian wished she were a boy.

But Grace happily skipped to the front door, proud of her hairdo, and obviously missing the disaster that it was. When they were about to leave, she kissed her father and expectantly waited to see her mother do the same.

Christian left barely five minutes later with a busy day ahead of him. Jamie was in the office before him, which was seen as a good sign from Christian. Maybe he shouldn't be so vindictive and give the man a chance to really prove himself. He informed him of the dinner they had in the evening, and they worked through the day though he had two bad news items that got on his nerves.

The first one was an email from Roger who linked to a web article showing him walking in the streets with Grace (who was blurred) and with the headline **_Billionaire Christian Grey caught in the streets of New York, with his secret kid._**

Roger was prone to do nothing and release the statement as scheduled, given the fact that it was already something planned. He tried to get him to find a loophole to get the picture taken down, or to sue the website, but since Grace had been blurred, and he was a public figure of sorts, there was nothing he could really do.

Ana didn't seem that upset about it when he forwarded her the link. Just like Roger, she said there was nothing they could do since the pictures of Grace were blurred. She said it was bound to happen, and that the statement would just put down any sort of rumours.

The second bad news came from Ana, as they were texting through his lunch.

**By the way, Jack just texted me. He will be in town for a couple of days next week. He hasn't seen Grace in a few months, so he proposed a restaurant, but I think it would be more prudent to just have him home for dinner. ~ Ana **

Christian wasn't sure what to say to that. If he were to listen to his guts, Hyde would never even breathe the same air as Ana again. The guy had the nerve to take her in his arms when she and Christian weren't even properly broken up. And that was without counting the number of times when he had taken Ana out for a drink when she was officially in a relationship with Christian.

But he also knew that Ana wouldn't stand him giving a veto on Hyde. She didn't stand for it in the past, and she wouldn't do it today. Though he had even more reason now to be jealous. _They were together now_. Ana could say whatever she wanted, Christian didn't like the idea that she was so close to the man.

So he simply responded with an 'OK' because he would be able to keep an eye on the man and make him understand that if he tried anything, there would be repercussions. Ana didn't comment on his lack of eloquence, and Christian reminded her of their dinner.

**I've had a card delivered to you at your office, babe. Go crazy, and don't even think of looking at prices. I want you gorgeous tonight. ~ Christian **

**I'll come dressed with wine leaves. I'm sure people will appreciate the look. Don't worry, I'll find the most expensive wine leaves there are. **😝😝😝** ~ Ana **

**It's not funny. ~ Christian **

**Kind of is. Haha. Easy access for you as well. ~ Ana **

**Anastasia … ~ Christian **

**Oh. Where is your sense of humour? Or is it you like to tease, but not to be teased? If I recall, you used to like it when I'd make sex jokes. You got old and boring. **😝😝😝** ~ Ana **

**Believe me, I'm not boring. I just don't like the idea of anyone but me seeing you naked. You should know that by now. ~ Christian. **

**I know, and that's why I tease. Relax, Christian. You should know I'd never do that to you. ~ Ana **

The rest of the day was rather hectic, but at least Jamie stopped passively taking notes, and started giving his input. Christian thought he needed to be more assertive, but he had just started the job. He couldn't expect from the young man to be perfect from the start.

He called Grace on his way to the restaurant, letting Jamie know that it was a personal call so the man would focus his attention on something else, and Grace spent a good five minutes marvelling on how beautiful her mother was when she left to meet him.

"Pops said that one day you will take me out just like Mama, and I will get to wear a dress just like hers," she awed, and Christian frowned, unaware that his father had called his daughter.

"Pops? Did he call?"

"No. Uncle Elliott called him and Nana, and they said they would come to visit soon. He said he would bring me a princess dress for me and my dolly."

"My dolly and me, sweetie," he corrected, just as he had heard Ana correct her many times. And Grace diligently repeated the proper phrasing.

He asked about her day, and once it was over, she told him about Peanut's latest antics, which involved perching on high furniture and then being too chicken to get down, requiring Elliott to rescue him. As they got closer to the restaurant, Christian informed his daughter that he had to go, and then turned to Jamie, to make sure he was well prepared for the upcoming meeting.

Ana was supposed to join them since she'd needed the time to get back home to change, and so the two men entered the restaurant to meet with their potential client who was there with his wife. Ana arrived barely five minutes after them, in a beautiful maroon and gold outfit. She smiled sweetly at him as he got up, and out of courtesy, the other men did the same.

Christian lovingly kissed her temple and presented her to the table.

"Mr & Mrs Khan, may I present you my better half, Anastasia Steele."

Ana nodded politely in their direction, saluting them the same way she used to do when they were in their masquerade, and then he presented her to Jamie since he was bound to drop by their home more often than not in the future.

"And Ana, this is the man I told you about, Jamie Miller."

Ana turned her head to Jamie, and though it lasted less than half a second, he still saw the look the two exchanged before they smiled and professionally shook hands before Ana sat between Christian and Mrs Khan.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, is this a cliffhanger ... I believe it is, haha. And it has been planted for a while. **

💚**Now question time,**

**1\. Now, we shall see who has a good memory ... What's up with that look between Jamie and Ana?**

**2\. This chapter was mostly about our couple, and so will the next one. And I quite enjoyed writing it. **

**3\. But About Grace, now they are a family ... Aww. What was your favourite moment? I think mine was the breakfast kiss. **

**4\. Now many things have been said and agreed here. But do you think Ana will quit her job?**

**5\. And what did you think of Christian in this chapter? I am really curious about that ...**

**6\. And what did you think of the explanation for the Peanut name? ii quite like Elliott in this story. **

**7\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? Mine was Christian struggling to do his daughter's hair. **

**8\. And what do you think will happen next?**

💚‼️💚** The updates of the week are **💚‼️💚

**\- Road Trippin, FSOG version (daily)**

**\- The Nanny, FSOG story (chap 11)**

**\- Second Chances, TMI story (chap 12)**

**\- Forbidden Fruit, FSOG version (chap 2)**

**\- Stargate, TMI one-shot (COMPLETE)**

**\- No Strings Attached, FSOG two-shot (part 1)**

**\- The Daddy story, TMI & FSOG version (chap 15)**

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	18. Chapter 16: Rare & Rich Drops

**My dear little broccolis💚💚💚**

**💚 So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

**‼️ABOUT THE REVIEWS‼️**

**1\. So, So people are annoyed at Ana because it looks like she's holding back. Well, this chapter will help you with that. **

**2\. Also, some people wondered about Christian's intentions towards asking Ana to quit her job ... Well ... we shall see**

**3\. And make sure to read the author notes at the end!**

**4\. Enjoy**

**‼️DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW‼️**

**💚 Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy 💚**

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

‼️**TRIGGER WARNING****: This chapter will evoke the theme of depression, self-depreciation and suicidal thoughts. Please be aware of that before reading it. **‼️

**Chapter 16: Rare & Rich Drops (5,8K)**

**So, about this title, it is, as you will see, a chapter very much focused on Ana and Christian, and drop can be a gem or a drop of alcohol. And both adjectives are used to describe both nouns ^^**

Neither Ana nor Jamie addressed each other for the rest of the dinner. In fact, they were exceedingly courteous, as if they had just met one another, but Christian could tell that was not the case. Though Ana had always made a point to be composed and hard to read, he had still learned to decipher her postures and the micro-expressions of her face.

Still, he did not say a thing, hardly thinking that a business dinner was the place to confront her. And hopefully, she would tell him herself as soon as they were alone. So, he mostly gave his attention to Mr Khan, a part of his mind also on Jamie, though it was no longer for his business skills, but to try to catch him looking at Ana the wrong way.

At the slightest glance, or look, or slightly inappropriate word, he would fire his ass, not really caring in the slightest if that could result in a lawsuit. He had no intention of working with his girlfriend's ex, and even less of teaching him tricks of the business and helping him get rich.

Several times throughout dinner, Ana took his hand in hers and squeezed it, which made him sure that his poker face wasn't as good as he thought. She always used to do that when she felt that he was annoyed, or that his temper was about to explode. And he had always been grateful for it. But this night, he would have rather had answers than comforting gestures.

When the dinner finally ended with Christian and Mr Khan shaking hands to seal their future collaboration, Jamie barely said two words to Christian, mumbling something about seeing him Monday. Which Christian doubted very much. He had the whole weekend to find a decent excuse to fire him, and he was going to make sure to put this time to good use. In fact, the first thing he was going to do in the morning was to call Thomas so his lawyer could help him find a loophole to get rid of Ana's ex.

The car ride was silent, but knowing Ana, Christian didn't expect her to say anything in front of Taylor. She barely opened up to him, so she was certainly not going to be open in front of his head of security. She was looking through the window, pensive, her eyes lost in space. But when he slid his hand in hers, she did not reject him, though she didn't look in his direction, either.

When Taylor parked in the parking lot of their building, Christian was faced with a dilemma. He knew that Elliott would be waiting for them upstairs and that there would be no opportunity to talk, so as soon as they were out of the car, he dismissed Taylor so they could be alone. Even if it was just for an elevator ride, he was going to talk to Ana, and this was why he said between his gritted teeth as he called for the elevator, "I think I've been patient long enough."

Ana blinked, coming back to the present moment. Ever since they had left the restaurant, she had been in her own little world. She looked at him, confused. "Sorry?"

"You obviously know Jamie," He stated, looking deep in her eyes and forbidding her to lie.

He knew that Ana had an excellent poker face and knew how to bluff even better than him. But he also knew that she didn't like to apply those skills in her day to day life with those she cared about. In fact, Ana always tried to be as honest as she could, even if she often eluded her issues and problems.

She gave him a reassuring smile, caressed his cheek and said, as if nothing, "You have nothing to worry about."

The elevator opened its doors for them, and she entered, so he followed, lowly growling with annoyance, "Ana …"

"Not tonight, Christian. I'll tell you all about Jamie later, but not tonight. Let me sleep on it and I'll tell you in the morning."

He looked up, seeing the numbers rise as he tried to lower his temper. But after a deep breath, he exploded, "_No_! We're having this conversation _right now_. _Tonight_!"

Her eyes opened widely as if she couldn't believe what he just said, and so he continued, "It's always the same with you, isn't it? It's always later, later, later. And later never comes. I'm still waiting for you to tell me about your labour and delivery! I'm tired of always having to do everything in your own time and in your own terms. This is selfish of you."

Something odd happened when he finished speaking: Ana's face seemed to fade. It was very subtle, and it barely lasted a second, but still, Christian could swear that a light died in her eyes. She looked down, clearing her throat just as the elevator opened to his penthouse, and she said, "You're right. I'm sorry."

She walked in their apartment, inquiring with his brother about Grace, but Christian didn't pay attention, too disturbed by what had just happened, and by the tone of her voice. That hadn't been Ana's voice at all. Ana had always spoken with passion or reason. This voice was just dead, and yet, her facial expression had been oddly familiar.

And then it hit him. She had had the same demeanour when she told him about her ex. When she told him how she felt invalidated in everything that she did, thought or felt, and that she had learned to just agree with that jackass. She had been just as empty then.

_Christian didn't say a single word as Ana was finally willingly open about a part of her past. But he looked at her carefully. He had expected her to look vulnerable as she talked about her ex, and how he had mistreated her, but as she explained the situation she had been in, she just looked empty. _

_It was as if that Henry character had drained her and was still draining her a year later as she shared her story with Christian, and as he discovered this new side of Ana, Christian truly hoped that he would never make her feel like that. Though she didn't say it outright, it was clear that Henry made her doubt herself a lot as a person and as a woman. In fact, it explained a lot why she had so many trust issues, and why it was so hard for her to be open with others. Henry had thrown back in her face every feeling she had and used them against her repeatedly. _

He shook his head back to the present moment when he realised that she was no longer in the living room, and Elliott opened his mouth to ask something, but Christian just shook his head, telling him, "Just a moment."

Then, he went to their bedroom, but she was nowhere in sight, though he could hear the water running in their bathroom. Out of courtesy, he knocked on the door, but she did not answer so he tried to open it.

He glared at the door when he found it locked. In the past, even though they hadn't been officially together, she never locked her door, because she implicitly knew he would not walk in on her, she trusted him. But apparently, now Ana's latest hobby was to lock herself in bathrooms so she could fall and hurt herself.

"Ana …" He growled with a warning tone, but she did not answer him clearly. He heard her mumble something about waiting whilst the water was running, and it infuriated him more than anything.

"Open the fucking door, _now_, and talk to me!"

He banged on the door more forcefully than he had intended and Ana swung the door open, seething with anger herself. Her face was clean of makeup, which made Christian understand that she had been washing it. In fact, he could smell that faint smell of coconut she always had before going to bed.

She glared at him before walking back to the bathroom and continuing her night-time routine, taking care of her hair now.

"Just talk to me, Ana! That's what couples are supposed to do. _Talk_. Not everything can be done in your own time. You've got to think of _us_. As a couple, as a family."

He watched her close her eyes, as if to calm herself, before she put her brush down, and turned to look at him, planting her blue eyes on his grey ones. And he didn't like the hurt he was seeing in them.

"_In my own time_? _Really_? Aren't you being a bit hypocritical? I mean, we just moved in with you. Was this decision made _in my own time_? Did you give me some time to pack my own things by myself and say goodbye to my neighbours?

How about the call I received just a few days ago from a private school in _Seattle_ concerning Grace and her registration for the new year? Were you ever going to tell me about that, or just confront me with your decision once it was made?

And what about Grace? How does this qualify as my own time? Twice I gave you the chance to listen to me, and twice you sent me to the bushes, taking the coward's way and avoiding conversation with me. And even after that, when you discovered you had a daughter, it took you _weeks_ to own up to her, and accept her as such? How is that in my own time?

I gave you all the time in the world to come to her your own way, even when I saw that you were annoyed by her presence, even when you drank and showed that you couldn't care less about her. I gave you the time you needed to do things at your own pace, because I know it's a lot to process.

I respected you as a person, I understood that it was something that you needed to do on your own, and you needed time on your own, and you can't even return this decency to me. So, tell me, Christian, who's not thinking of _us_, and who's selfish?"

"You can't throw this back in my face!" He accused, though deep down he knew she was right. "And you're taking things out of context. I asked you about this one guy. If you were to ask me about any girl, I would tell you straight away, I wouldn't leave you in the dark, pretending I needed to think about it. I would put you first. I'm tired of you pushing me away. You indefinitely postponed Jamie, just like you did for your story of delivering Grace, and I'm still waiting on that one."

Her eyes grew wide with frustration, but Christian doubted she was as frustrated as he was. "Don't you ever listen to anything I say? I didn't indefinitely postpone, I told you I need to sleep on it. How insecure are you that you can't even wait a few hours?"

Christian rebuffed, not liking hearing that word in Ana's mouth. Maybe she was right, and his jealousy was born out of insecurity, but he would certainly not admit that to her in the middle of a fight.

So, he pushed to get some other answers, since she was dead stubborn on keeping _Jamie_ to herself for the time being. "Okay then, what about your pregnancy?"

"_Why _do you want to know? It's in the past. Why does it matter?"

"It matters because you matter to me!" He all but roared, and she sadly shook her head.

"It's not going to change anything."

"Just tell me, Goddammit! It's not that hard! For once in your life, trust that I can make you feel better!"

And just as he said those words, Christian felt that he had pushed her too far. Twice before he had seen her cry, but it had never been pure anguish. Once was out of grief, and the other was out of worry. This time, the tears building in her blue eyes were tears of hurt, pain and torment. And he would have given everything he owned to never see those expressions again on Ana's face.

For the first time of their lives, Ana was crying in front of him, and not trying to hide it, and he didn't like it one bit.

"And what do you want me to tell you, Christian? What can I say that will make you feel better? Because the reality is, the past will never make any of us feel better. There is nothing to say.

I tried to call you and you refused to talk to me. You refused to give me five minutes of your _precious_ time, even if it was just over the phone. And I didn't get the chance to even tell you about _our kid_ because every time I opened my mouth, all you had to say was work, work, work."

She sobbed, as her tears were freely flowing on her cheeks, and her voice was getting higher, though she made sure not to scream.

"I was not myself, back then. I was in such a fragile state. Do you realise how abnormal I am? Do you realise how much of a freak of nature I am? Women have been giving birth for millennia, and I couldn't even do that _one thing_! That one thing that every female on the planet can do, no matter the species, I couldn't do.

And then, when I reached out to you, you reminded me that I was never important to you. I was barely an agreeable second thought. Because in the end, your job mattered more than me, more than your own child in a way.

And no matter how much I tried to be strong for Grace, for months, all I wanted to do was take the easy way out. The birth was painful and traumatic, but it was nothing next to what came after. She cried a lot; it took her ages to sleep through the night. And I was alone, in a whole other country, living with someone I've only heard about.

And the only reason I would carry on was that I knew I couldn't leave Grace alone because, at the end of the day, I was all she had. Every morning was a struggle, every morning my thoughts got darker and darker, every morning the Thame looked more and more inviting. I cried myself to sleep every night for a year, ridiculously hoping you would show up and take Grace away because I had failed her from the start.

Is that what you wanted me to tell you? Does that make you feel any better? Because it sure doesn't make _me_ feel any better."

Christian stood speechless, looking at the woman he loved cry her heart out. He wanted to reach out to her, but he could tell it wasn't the right moment. She would only recoil, as she was too wrapped in her own pain to accept any form of sympathy. Still, he made sure that he got his point across,

"You did not fail, Grace, Ana. I can't let you say that!"

"Didn't I?" She challenged, "Isn't a mother supposed to protect and care for her child from the beginning? I drank, and partied, and went roller-coasting whilst I was pregnant with Grace. I didn't eat that healthily, I didn't exercise that much, I didn't take care of my baby when it was the most crucial for her. Nothing you can say will ever change that. I failed as a mother, I failed as a woman, I failed as a human being."

"Ana, you …" He started, not sure how to convince her that she was wrong, and she shook her head, saying, "It's okay, Christian. It's in the past. I've made peace with it; you don't have to say anything. There's nothing you can do, and there's no point dwelling in the past.

Just when I ask for time, respect me enough to actually give it to me. I know that I don't easily open up, but you said it yourself, actions speak louder than words. If I didn't want to be with you, I wouldn't be here. This is not the kind of example I would give to Grace. I just wish you would have enough faith in me to understand that I am with you because I want it. I already gave up on my biggest dream to be with you, don't make me give up on who I am."

Christian felt a lump growing in his throat, realising why Ana had been so reserved on the previous night when he talked about helping her achieve her dreams. Sure, she never made it a secret that she wanted to be a lawyer, but she had always been more vocal about her dreams of a big family. And he didn't regret Grace, in fact, he couldn't even picture his life without her anymore. But he couldn't picture more children being there either.

He took a step toward Ana and she took a long deep breath, before smiling at him. "This was not supposed to happen like that. You should go to your brother, though. He's going to think we ditched him. I'll be right there."

"Ana …"

"Go to your brother," She insisted, lifting her hand to caress his jaw and erase a tear he didn't even realise he had shed. She gently pressed her lips against his, before unzipping the back of her skirt, and he said the only thing that came through his mind.

"I'm sorry, Ana."

She stepped out of her skirt, scrunching her nose as she calmly said, "I don't really think you are. Because in the end, you got what you wanted, and that's who you are. You always get what you want, and you don't play fair to get it.

I just think you need to realise that home is not the office, Christian. You will have to learn patience, and you will have to learn that backing people into a corner is not the solution. Because if you don't, the relationship you have with me, and the one you have will Grace, will suffer, and you won't like the end result."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~. **

Before joining his brother in the living-room, Christian went by the kitchen to pour himself a glass of whiskey. When he slumped on the couch next to his brother, who was working on his tablet, Elliott ignored him for a moment, lost in his accounts, and Christian was grateful. He didn't want his brother to know he was already screwing up his brand-new family, not even 24 hours after the girls moved in.

He remained silent, playing with the empty glass as his thoughts kept going back to Ana and to the face of anguish she had when she told him about her past. He had wanted to know, but there was this part of him who regretted knowing now. She was right, there was nothing he could do or say that would make her feel better. It was too late for that. She had needed him four years ago. Not now, forcing her to reminisce things she would rather forget.

He was very surprised that she even considered committing suicide. Ana had always been a strong-minded person, and he had always thought that people who committed suicide were weak. Of course, he was sure that if he shared that opinion with his mother, he would get a lecture that would last several days. But he just couldn't understand how someone could be so defeated, that they would feel ending their life was the only option for them.

He was torn out of his thoughts by Elliott's voice, saying something rather disturbing, given the hours, "Where are you going?"

Christian snapped his eyes open and saw Ana dressed in jog-wear, her hair up in a messy bun and a sweet inviting smile on her face. In fact, if he hadn't seen it himself, he never would have been able to say that she just cried her eyes out. "I need to jog. I ate _way too much_ at that dinner, and I can feel the fat settling on my hips."

Elliott frowned, turning a questioning head to Christian before inquiring, "_At this time_?"

It was almost midnight, and on any other occasion, Christian would have made a scene. But he understood that she needed some air and to think for herself, so he just let her know, his eyes steady in hers so she would understand that he was insistent on this point, "Taylor is just one floor below."

He saw her twist her mouth on the side, clearly unhappy with this outcome, but he was not going to back down. This might qualify yet another thing he did his own way, without her input, but they were in New York, in the middle of the night, and there was no way in hell he was going to let Ana roam around alone in those dangerous streets.

She waved them goodbye, and as soon as she was gone, Elliott put down his tablet and inquired with worry, "What happened? When the two of you left so abruptly, I figured you were going at it like rabbits. I mean, the outfit really did put light where it should."

Christian ignored the last part of his brother's comment, getting up to pour himself another drink. He knew that she didn't leave him, mostly because Grace was still fast asleep in her room. But he still didn't like the fact that she felt she needed to get away from him to think. It made him feel like he was suffocating her, and that was the last thing he wanted.

When he sat back next to his brother, taking the bottle with him this time, and he saw that Elliott was not going to pretend as if nothing happened, he just truthfully let him know, "I fucked up … _again_."

He finished the drink in a single gulp and poured himself another when his brother interrupted him by taking the bottle away from him. "Christian?"

Christian still drank the little alcohol there was in his glass, before leaning against the sofa and closing his eyes. "Turns out that she knows the guy I hired to shadow me. Out of all the people on that fucking planet, she _has_ to have fucked the one guy who's working for me. Well, he is '_someone from her past_'. And we both know what that means.

I … I just …"

"You just got your usual jealous, without any valid reason? You know, Mom would call it insecurity …"

"Maybe," he admitted. After all, Ana said over and over that he didn't have to worry about Jamie. And yet, he let his jealousy get the better of him. Just like he did with Andrew.

"Which I really don't get. What do you have to be insecure about? You're good-looking, rich, successful and she's madly in love with you. Oh, and you have a kid together!"

"Yeah, we do … and that's the deal-breaker," He muttered, realising why he feared so much that Ana would walk out on him.

He never doubted her fidelity, unlike he did with his past girlfriend. Ana was a loyal person, and she cared too much to break peoples' hearts that way. But … as she said, she gave up her biggest dream to be with him. All this time, he felt that she was compromising for Grace's sake, but in truth, she was compromising for his. What he had wanted for those two years they were together, she was finally doing. Putting aside her grandiose ideas of having a big family and settling down with him.

But what if she decided she couldn't do it anymore? What if, in a couple of years, Grace asked about siblings, and it triggered Ana's baby fever? She could leave him for that. And … there was nothing he could do. He loved Grace with all his heart, but he couldn't deal with more kids, she already took too much of his time.

He cleared his throat, and told his brother, "She cried, Elliott. This is the first time I've actually seen her cry like that. The only other time was when she lost her friend. Even when we broke up, she didn't cry. And … _I_ made her cry."

"She cried? She looked so fresh. I never would have thought."

"I made her cry. I'm supposed to bring her joy and happiness, and I made her cry. I forced her to say things she wasn't ready to say or to relive … That whole cryptic pregnancy really got to her. You have no idea how much it messed her up."

Elliott nodded, apparently unsurprised. "Yeah, Dad mentioned that most women don't react well to that. I mean, pregnancy and giving birth is hard enough when they're prepared, so imagine without the nine months. He said there are a lot of suicides involved, and a lot of babies killed as well. It has to do with that sudden change in their lives and the sudden imbalance of hormones. Plus, there is this whole postpartum thing. Dad said he saw a couple of sad cases. You should call him and ask him for advice, he's clearly more educated than me on the matter. Kate had it very easy for both boys."

Christian agreed, thinking that his brother was right and that he was going to call his father the next day. Because in all honesty, he really had no idea how to help Ana. What she said was wrong on so many levels, but she seemed so persuaded that she was right. He still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that she thought that she had failed their daughter, or that she thought she was abnormal. In fact, if he didn't know already that she would straight up refuse the idea, he would have proposed that she saw a therapist. But Ana would never open up to a stranger, even if it was their job.

"Christian …"

"It's simple, Elliott. I know I screwed up, and I just need to man up this time. I can't cower away as I did in the past. I wasn't there for her when she needed me, but I'm here now."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

When Ana came back from her jog, it was well past two in the morning, and Elliott had gone to sleep. Christian had resisted the urge to finish the bottle of whiskey, mostly because his brother had lectured him about it, and reminded him that a hangover was never a good idea when there was a young child involved. So, for the first time in his life, he did nothing. He just sat there on the sofa, looking at the skyline as he was thinking back to all the choices he made in his life and that led him to that exact situation.

"Christian?" Ana asked when she saw him still up, and he looked at her, all sweaty and out of breath. Her face showed worry and concern, and she got closer to him, removing her jacket. "You didn't have to wait for me."

"How was your jog?" He asked with a lump in his throat.

She sweetly smiled at him, probably to ease his pain, and when she tried to pull him up, he yanked her to him, not caring the slightest in the world that she was covered in sweat. He made her sit on his lap, and caressed her face, as the lump in his throat got bigger and bigger.

"Babe …"

"I'm sorry, Christian. I never meant to lash out at you. This isn't your burden to carry. I … I was tired, and I felt pressured, and I just exploded. This isn't the relationship I want for us. I'm not here to make you unhappy, especially regarding things that happened years ago."

He felt a tear roll down his cheek, and she erased it with her thumb. Never had he felt like he had failed so much at something. He knew that his past relationships were not healthy examples to rely on, but his parents had always had a strong, loving, and healthy relationship. And he had always seen his parents rely on each other to help the other through tough times.

But now, Ana felt that there were parts of her past, of _their_ past, that she shouldn't put on his shoulders, and it made him feel like less than a man. It made him feel like her trust issues were stronger than her feelings for him.

"So … why am I here, Ana? If you can't let me ease the pain and the burden, what are you doing with me?"

"It's not your job to make me happy, Christian."

"It is _exactly_ my job. This is what a partner is supposed to do. _Provide_. It's more than wealth, it's also emotional," He snapped, and she looked down, her brows furrowed before she said,

"It's unfair of me to rely on you for happiness. Happiness is a subjective term, Christian, and everyone takes it differently. I didn't lie yesterday when I said this was the happiest I've been in a long time. And today doesn't change that. I am with you because I want it, not just because it's what's best for Grace. But … I am happy in my own way. It took me a long time to be happy without relying on someone else to make me happy, and I just wish you could see that."

Christian remained silent for a moment, seeing the logic in her words, but doubting he would ever be as 'wise and enlightened' as Ana. He was happy because Ana and Grace were in his life, and he knew that their five years apart had not seen a single happy day for him.

He cleared his throat, hoping that it would help him stop being so weak in front of Ana, and he told her,

"I really am sorry. I … I never meant to make you cry. Not in a million years. And … had I known, I never would have pushed you to relive those memories. You mean the world to me and the idea that I …" He took a deep breath, and continued, "You were right, I am used to getting what I want, when I want, and … I'm not a patient man, as you know. I felt that I'd been so patient with you that you _owed_ me something in return.

And … I didn't think clearly. All I could think of was that there was this guy from your past you could leave me for. I can't bear the idea of you leaving me."

A strangled sob escaped his throat, and he closed his eyes, hating the fact that he was crying in front of the woman he loved. He felt so weak, and this was clearly not the image he ever wanted to show Ana. And still, she cupped his face and gave him the most loving and sweet kiss she had ever given him. Something delicate, coming from the bottom of her heart.

When she broke their kiss, she rested her forehead against his, and she whispered, "Don't let your insecurities and those ridiculous fears get the better of us. I'm here for the long haul, Christian. I wouldn't have moved in with you, otherwise."

He nodded, reassured by those simple words, though she added with seriousness as she sat back properly on his lap, "But don't you _dare_ fire Jamie with some silly excuse. Because I will represent him, and I will sue your ass. I'll tell you all about him tomorrow morning when I'll …

It's just that … we knew each other when we were young, and we parted … I'll tell you all tomorrow, I promise. I need to get my thoughts together."

He nodded again, most of his brain still on the terrible state Ana had been in after Grace's birth. And so, he let her know, "I wish you would have told me sooner. About the parturient."

"What for? To make you feel bad and uncomfortable? To make me cry and sad? It's in the past. None of us can change it. I've made peace with it, and I don't want you to feel guilty over what may or may not have happened then. It's the past. Let's not dwell on the past."

She gave him a soft kiss, before getting up and letting him know that she was going to check on Grace before she would take a quick shower. Christian stayed on the sofa, wondering if this was the right route to go. Just let the past be the past and go on in life.

Never before that day would he have thought that she had fallen in depression and had suicidal thoughts. So, she was obviously past this. And she was right, there was no point dwelling in the past. But he still felt responsible. He felt that, had he been there, he could have eased her pain back then.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

‼️**READ THE NOTES**‼️

💚** So I just want to make something clear. Though I can't stop you from having your own opinions, I won't tolerate any hate towards postpartum and cryptic pregnancies. Those are both very difficult times for women affected. And knowing that we are 95% female reading this story, I just think that we should show our support, and not shame those who feel and experience those things. Postpartum is a real thing that some women actually never recover from. And cryptic pregnancies can lead you to do things you don't even realise. In those cases, the delivery is extremely fast, so in less time than it takes to cook pasta, you discovered that you were pregnant, gave birth to that baby, and have a sudden rush of hormones. Some of us (starting with me) can't even handle the hormonal change of the pill, so imagine … **

💚** Also, I want to make another thing clear. The way Ana felt after giving birth does not reflect how I feel in any ways towards women who suffered cryptic pregnancies. Far from it. But many women who had that issue, or who suffer through many miscarriages, do feel abnormal because this is the one thing that never changed throughout History. It's the one thing that makes us women, our ability to procreate. I am not trying to shame Ana, or women in her situation, I am just shining a light on how many of them feel after that traumatic experience. **

💚** The same way that Christian does not reflect how I feel when it comes to people committing suicide. Nor do I think that a man crying shows that he's weak. Those are Christian's feelings because they fit his character in this story. **

💚**Now question time,**

**1\. Okay, so we heard a bit more about Jamie. Just a bit. Any guesses. So far, only one person had it spot on, unfortunately, they were a guest reviewer T.T. Oh, and just so you know who to picture, Jason Momoa, when he was young and had dreadlocks**

**2\. Now, I know many of you had a lot of resentment against Ana, but now you know a bit more. Plus, remember that Mary's funeral was in mid-September and that Halloween was just last weekend. So they've been back together for barely a couple of months.**

**3\. Now, since Christian is that perfect man who can do no wrong (some people have short memories, haha) how do you feel about him in this chapter?**

**4\. And what about Elliott? Did I mention how much I love him?**

**5\. This chapter was very much centred on our couple, just like the one before, and I hope you didn't cry too much. It was heart-wrenching to write, I won't lie.**

**6\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? Mine was the sweet kiss Ana gave Christian in the end.**

**7\. And what do you think will happen next?**

💚‼️💚** The updates of the month are **💚‼️💚

**\- Road Trippin, FSOG version (daily)**

**\- The Nanny, FSOG story (chap 12)**

**\- Second Chances, TMI story (chap 13)**

**\- Forbidden Fruit, FSOG version (chap 3)**

**\- No Strings Attached, FSOG two-shot (part 2)**

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise. Everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	19. Chapter 17: Clematis & Alexandrite

**My dear little broccolis💚💚💚**

**💚 So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

**💚 FIRST OF ALL, Eid ****al**-**Adha**** Moubarak to you all. I hope you will get to spend this **

**‼️ABOUT THE REVIEWS‼️**

**1\. So, as I said before, Christian can do no wrong in your eyes. Haha. But I was expecting it. So in case, it wasn't clear, Christian really showed his impatience in the last few chapters. They have only been together for two months, and Christian hurried them to move in with him, even though Ana did say she wanted to develop their relationship first. He also forced Ana t talk about events he knew were hard on her, instead of waiting for her to come in her own time. And he couldn't even wait 12 hours when Jamie came in the matter. Not saying Ana is perfect, but Christian isn't either. **

**2\. Everyone wants to know about Jamie, and most of you got the big lines, so we will get further into that ^^**

**3\. Also, Ana never held Christian's work ethic against him. She said something about it because he backed her into a corner, and her feelings at the time came back, erupting. But she never said a word about Christian working a lot. Someone seemed to think so, and I want you to keep that information in mind that Ana knows where Christian's priorities lie. Especially after this chapter.**

**4\. Now, Ana is happy as she is. She never said she wasn't happy. In fact, she said several times throughout the story that she is happy. What she said the last chapter was that it isn't Christian's job to make her happy. Because her happiness only depends on her, and no one else.**

**5\. Also, I don't see Ana as closed in this story. Because she openly talked to Christian about her feelings of their breakup, her fears of the future, and mundane things they go through. The only time she kept for herself, was when she went through grief, and that's because everyone deals with it differently. Queen Victoria literally shut herself from a whole country for YEARS. About the pregnancy, it's a trauma, and it's not easy to talk about trauma, especially when you thought of suicide. It's not staying in the past to not talk about it. It's just accepting to move on with your life. Everyone deals with trauma and depression differently**

**6\. And guys, I just want you to remember that this is a sequel. Some things about Christian have already been established in the first story, and I hate it when authors spend half a chapter (or book) rehashing what has already been said before. So I won't be doing that. If you forgot about it, just skim through the previous story. And know that I like subtlety and subtext ^^**

**‼️DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

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💚** Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy **💚

**Chapter 17: Clematis & Alexandrite (8,6K)**

**So, this chapter is all about Grace and Ana. Hence the title. Clematis is a pretty light purple flower that is often associated with cleverness, and the alexandrite is a purple gemstone**

Christian was peacefully sleeping when he felt someone repeatedly poking his arm. He ignored it for a while, his brain still groggy with sleep, but then the poking became more insistent and he jolted awake when he heard Grace calling out to him, "Daddy, daddy?"

He sat up straight, opening his eyes wide, hoping to chase his sleepiness right away, and he looked at his daughter who was sporting cute pigtails and a bright smile. She curiously looked at her father, still standing by his bedside as she innocently inquired, "Are you sleeping?"

Christian repressed a disabused chuckle, and shook his head, assuring his daughter that he was perfectly awake, even though she was the one who had just woke him up, and he scooched a little to the side so she would come to sit next to him.

She did with a grin, and he noticed that she was already dressed, which he felt he was going to have to address at some point with Ana. Kids were supposed to sleep-in on weekends. He knew that Ana was an oddity who liked to wake up with the sun and didn't understand the concept of a lazy morning (she had always been very active in the mornings, even when he took her abroad for her to relax), but she didn't need to impose this rhythm on their daughter.

"Mama said she was going to check if you were still sleeping, but I said I would. But she said to come back if you were sleeping."

"Well, you can hang with me, then. What did you do last night with your Uncle Elliott …? What time is it?"

He could simply check his phone, but first, he hadn't charged it the night before, so there was a high probability that it was dead. Second, Ana had been teaching Grace how to read the time on analogue clocks (since she had something against the simplicity of digital clocks).

Grace scrunched her face in that cute little fashion she had when she was focusing on something hard, and Christian watched her move her hands in what he assumed was the same position of the handles she last saw.

"Ten past midnight!" She said, proud of herself, and Christian corrected her.

"Midday, sweetie. When the small handle is on the twelve, and it's bright outside, it's midday. Because it's the middle of the day."

"Ooooh." Her eyes sparkled with understanding, and Christian rubbed his eyes, trying to shake himself awake, not quite believing that he had slept well into the day.

He had had some issues falling asleep, until Ana forced him to take something, saying that she didn't want him to be grumpy the next day. He had argued a bit because it wouldn't have been his first time pulling an all-nighter, and she had retorted that he needed the rest just as much as she did.

But it seemed that the pill had really knocked him out, even though he only took half of it. Ana had proposed chamomile, and now, he wished he had gone for her gentler approach. He was feeling groggy and hated the feeling of having wasted half the day already.

"Did you already have your spa day with your mom?" He asked, mostly to keep his brain active. Grace nodded, touching her face as if it was the smoothest thing on Earth.

"Yes. And we already had our breakfast as well. Mama made cinnamon rolls because Uncle Elliott said he loved them. But don't worry, I kept one for you." He smiled at her thoughtfulness and she frowned, worriedly asking, "Are you sick?"

"No. Why?"

"Because when I wake up late, it's when I'm sick. Maybe you should ask Mama for a sweet kiss. So you don't get sick."

"No, I just … it was hard for me to sleep last night. But I wouldn't turn down a sweet kiss from your Mom."

Grace nodded, showing her agreement with his choices. "She gives the best sweet kisses. She also sings to me and gives me cham…omile when I can't sleep."

"I'll remember to ask her for a song next time I can't sleep," Christian vouched and he finally got out of bed.

Grace followed him to the bathroom, telling him all the songs she liked Ana to sing when she couldn't sleep, and he threw water on his face, deciding he could hold all liquids in until Grace was occupied by her mother. He didn't feel like kicking her out, especially as she was marvelling at how everything in the bathroom was so big.

"Wait until I show you Seattle, everything is even bigger there."

"Daddy, I know you're big, but not that big."

"I like to have my space," he told her, walking to the door so they could join Ana and Elliott. But she stopped him, pulling on his arm as she said, "Mama said that if you are awake, you should take a shower first. Because we have company."

Christian smiled at her condescendingly. "Your Uncle Elliott does not qualify as company, sweetie. He is just here to eat all the good food your Mom makes for us."

She giggled, but shook her head, "No. There is a man in the kitchen, and Mama told me to make sure you take a shower."

"A man?"

"Yes. Mama said he is my Uncle Jamie."

Christian froze for a moment, though he did his best to keep his features unreadable as Grace went on as if she'd said nothing of consequence, "You know, he has funny hair, but Mama said I can't have the same, because I can't change my mind after."

He gave her a forced smile and told her to go to her room, so he could shower. He didn't care what Ana said the night before, he was going to fire Jamie's ass faster than Grace ate lasagne. She could say whatever she wanted; this was crossing the line.

He was cleaned and dressed in record time, especially knowing that he usually liked to take his time on the weekends. He didn't even take the time to shave. As he was buttoning on his shirt, he was cursing at the fact that he didn't think of charging his phone, meaning he wouldn't be able to call Thomas so he could hear the dismissal conversation.

He found Jamie in the kitchen, along with Ana, Elliott, and Grace, who obviously hadn't listened to her father and appeared in the kitchen instead of keeping her distance with that asshole. As soon as he entered the kitchen, he felt that he killed whatever atmosphere that had been there, and did his best to not shout as he gritted his teeth, "_My office_."

Jamie made a move to get up, but Ana shook her head, setting the mixing bowl down and walked to Christian, taking his hand in hers and forcing him to follow her to his office when he was reluctant to leave Grace with that asshole. At least his brother was there.

As soon as she closed the door to his office, Christian turned to her and his anger exploded as she tried to use her reasoning voice on him, "Christian …"

"He is out of here! I don't care what you say, he is crossing the line, barging into _our home_, uninvited!"

"He came to talk to _me_, Christian," she argued, taking his hand in hers to stop him from pacing like a maniac.

"_I don't care_!" He gritted through his teeth. "He has no business calling in uninvited. You said he is from your past; he has no business talking to you when — "

"He's my brother," she interrupted him, and that sentence managed to shut him up.

This was the last thing he would have ever expected her to say. First, Ana was an orphan. She didn't know who her parents were, and in fact, no one knew. He never told her that he had her past investigated, but even the orphanage had no idea of who she was. Just some baby abandoned in front of a police station.

But more than that, Jamie, though light-skinned, was of African American descent. And Ana clearly wasn't. She was whiter than he was, even if she didn't have parents to back up this information. Snow White looked darker than she did.

Which was why he raised a doubtful eyebrow at Ana. The only 'brother' she had was Jose, and that was because she chose to make him part of the family she had built for herself. Alongside Mary and Ann, Mia, and even Elena to some extent.

But before he could present her with the cold hard fact that Jamie _couldn't_ be her brother, Ana said, "First of all, if you think it's genetically impossible, you should try opening your mind a bit more. We could be blood-related and look nothing alike. Second …"

She looked down, her hand slipping away from his. "Jamie and I met in the orphanage in Philadelphia. We were amongst the kids who never stayed long in a foster home because … well, we were just meal tickets and an inconvenience.

I don't have parents, and though it might seem great for a closed adoption, it scares probable parents because they don't have a medical background in case something goes wrong. And the older the child gets, the fewer parents want to get stuck with trouble. And Jamie… as sad as it is to say, he didn't fit the stereotype of the black kid. He was too white to bring sympathy from some potential parents, too black to be considered by others.

So … we were often together. And Jamie was a twig. Which is funny when you see him now. But … we seemed destined to end our childhood at the orphanage until the Millers adopted us. Not just as foster kids, but as kids. And the two of us, because they saw we were getting along. And …"

She stopped for a moment, but Christian didn't need her to say more. He could finally make the connection, and he understood why Jamie had always felt oddly familiar to him.

_Christian was listening to Jamie give his perfect presentation that he was sure he had rehearsed many times so it would seem fluent and natural. He glanced at Ros who could see that he was not impressed, and she gave him a look to let him know that he should give a chance to the man in front of them. But he had literally just heard all of this from Theo five minutes ago. And though he could be patient with Theo since he was fresh out of Uni, Jamie was supposed to have a few years under his belt. _

_"How about you ask me what you really want to know, Mr Grey? You're clearly not impressed neither by my resume, nor my presentation skills," Jamie interrupted himself, and Christian finally found some interest in the potential recruit, in his blatant honesty. _

_"Why do you want to work with us?"_

_Jamie raised an eyebrow at him. "Miss Baileys is the one who came to me, not the other way around."_

_"I know, but why did you listen to what she had to say in the first place?"_

_Jamie seemed slightly uncomfortable at first, and Christian promised, "Nothing you can say will impact your job. Ros sensed something in you, and I trust her judgement. I just want to know what _**_your_**_ judgment is made of."_

_"I didn't realise that she was working for you," Jamie blurted out, and Christian raised a disbelieving eyebrow. _

_In the business world, Ros's name had quickly become attached to his and became as respected as his. Jamie who, unlike Theo, had already worked several years with a rival company, should have known that Grey was not far from Baileys. _

_Jamie took a breath through his nose and explained, "I mean, I realised too late that we were going to work so closely."_

_"So … you don't want to work with me," Christian summarised. _

_"It wouldn't have been my first choice. Nothing against you, in fact, I'm sure I could learn a lot from you. It's just … personal."_

_Christian looked at the man, trying to figure out if he had met him before and wronged him, and decided to dig into his life to know for sure, and at the same time, know if he would be able to rely on him completely, or if Jamie was going to bail on him._

_"Family issues?"_

_"No. I'm not even from here. I don't have a family, and I don't plan on having any. Family … just gets in the way. As I said, it's just personal, nothing against you or your company." _

At the time, Christian had thought he had seen something familiar in Jamie's eyes when he talked about family, and he had thought it was connected to him. But now that Ana was telling him about their common past, he realised that the expression that had gleamed in Jamie's eyes was the same he had seen many times in Ana's when people asked about her family. Though Jamie had clearly taken a different route from Ana when it came to future family.

He looked down at Ana, and she sought refuge in his arms, hiding her face in his chest as she told him, "The Millers brought us to New York together, and … that's when Matthew started showing his true colours. Anything was a good reason to teach us a lesson and …

Jamie always took most of it. I tried a couple of times to take the fall for him, but I bruise easily compared to him, and people don't question bruises on boys much, because boys brawl, right? But Jamie … he was so small back then, and younger than me, and …

The day I ran away… I went to the police to report Matthew because he had beaten Jamie so badly that he couldn't walk. And …"

She stopped herself, and Christian noticed that she was mindlessly caressing the scar on her shoulder. He held her closer to him, kissing her hair as she was telling him about this part of her past that she had always kept preciously to herself. She had always refused to talk about her childhood before Mia, and now that she was finally doing so, he couldn't understand why she couldn't tell him the night before and spare them the rollercoaster of emotions they had.

"Why didn't you tell me yesterday? I would have understood, babe."

She looked up, putting a little distance between them so their eyes could meet. And as she blinked, Christian saw the answer before she could even say it, "I was ashamed.

I went to the station to report Matthew, and they laughed at me. Because he was _such a great guy_. After all, he was a cop, and I was just that ungrateful little brat looking to stir up trouble. That's when I understood that the cops would do nothing for us, and I decided not to go back home. That's when I ran away.

And I left him there. I left him behind with that monster because I thought he was going to slow me down."

She looked down, but Christian still saw the single tear that rolled down her cheek. He cupped her face, forcing her to look back at him, and he wiped the tear before hugging her to his chest. She revelled in that warm embrace and continued her story.

"I was supposed to take care of him, Christian. That's what I always did. I would get in fights when kids at the orphanage would pick on him. I would share my desserts with him when he got in trouble and they denied him dessert. I showed him how to fight so people would stop picking on us because we were small.

He used to call me his big sister, and … I left him there. I selfishly left him with the Millers."

Her voice got a little bit higher, and Christian held her a bit closer, as he assured her, "It's not your fault, Ana. You were just a kid."

She took a deep breath through her nose, and stepped away from his embrace, though he didn't see it as her pushing him away. Though her eyes were shining, she wasn't crying, and she gave him a small smile as she explained, "As much as I appreciate your words, it's not your place to say them."

He gently caressed her cheek, understanding that he was not the one she needed absolution from, and he tilted her chin up so he could kiss her. Just so he could show her his sympathy and support, that he was there for her, no matter what.

He could understand now why she always insisted for him to spend time with his brother, when she felt that she had failed her own, and why her relationship with Jose was so important to her. It was a second chance for her.

Ana gave him back his kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck and colliding their bodies into one another, but before he could even think of enjoying the moment, Grace barged in the room, calling for her mother.

They broke their kiss, whilst Grace was looking at them with her mouth hanging open, before she said with disappointment, "Were you kissing?"

"What is it, honey?" Ana asked, distracting their daughter from her line of questioning and Grace seemed to have forgotten all about her parents kissing, as she told her mother, "You lied, Mama!"

"When did I do that?"

"When you said magicians aren't real. How do you explain _this_?" Grace proudly brandished a coin, as if it was the irrefutable proof that magic existed and she explained, "Uncle Jamie took it from my ear!" She passed her hand on her right ear, checking if there were any more coins there. Ana smiled and softly shook her head as she took her daughter's hand and said, "Let's go explain to Uncle Jamie that we're not fooled by his tricks."

"It's not a trick, Mama. It's _magic_."

Christian followed the girls to the kitchen, and as soon as Jamie saw him, he got up, probably to leave. Christian shook his head, feeling that this was his opportunity to show Ana his support. Actions spoke louder than words. So, he sat by Jamie's side and when Jamie opened his mouth and called him Mr Grey, Christian rectified him so he would call him by his first name.

Elliott did not do anything to hide his surprise, but Christian didn't care much. He cared more about the small smile Ana gave him as she served him a cup of coffee. It was small and subtle, but it showed all her gratitude.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Jamie stayed for lunch, but it was obvious to Christian that he had not had the chance to do what he had come here to do, talk to Ana. Which was why he let Ana know that he and his brother were taking Grace out for a digestive walk. Grace got excited about it, though she still made sure that her mother would be in the apartment when she came back, and that she wouldn't leave her alone.

As Elliott was helping Grace put on her boots, Christian spoke to Ana, in aparté, "Now the two of you will be able to talk about whatever you want, without any filter. Just know that I'll support you, no matter what … even if I'm an ass doing it."

She chuckled and he kissed her before the trio left the penthouse. Christian could tell that his brother was puzzled by his move to leave an unknown man with Ana, especially when that man had a past with her, and so before Elliott could try to find a veiled way to question him without alarming Grace, he just said, "She needs it."

Elliott nodded and didn't ask more, though he insisted for them to go to 'normal stores' when Christian mentioned the idea of shopping. Grace was over the moon and made them go in every single store they walked by once they were in the mall, which neither of the brothers minded.

They quite enjoyed buying her clothes (mostly dresses and skirts because Elliott never had the opportunity). Christian discovered that Grace wasn't much of a toy-kid, even though she always made a point to play with those that were given to her. But she went crazy when they passed a bookstore, jumping from book to book, her glee getting bigger at each new book. Christian promised himself that he would build her a library in their home just to keep that smile on her face.

The car was quickly filled with an increasing number of bags, and Elliott made several jokes on how this was not going to be well received by certain people. Christian couldn't agree more; Ana was probably going to lose her mind when she saw them with so many shopping bags, but Grace's next request was probably what would make her really lose it.

"Oh, Daddy, can we get a puppy? So Peanut is not lonely during the day," she asked with her big blue eyes pleading as she pointed at the young St Bernard on display in the window of a pet store.

Christian couldn't find it in himself to tell her no, so they walked into the pet store, with him feeling ridiculous that he couldn't even argue with a four-year-old about not getting a pet. Still, he used Ana's tactic to deflect the dog issue. "How about another kitten? We live in an apartment, remember."

As Grace was looking at the kittens, looking for the one that would make her swoon, Elliott leaned and told Christian, "You're going to be in trouble, you know that, right?"

"Have you seen her face? How was I supposed to say no to that?"

Elliott snickered, and suggested, "I'd say, try bringing flowers as well. To soften the blow. Does she have any favourite flowers?"

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

They got back home shortly before dinner, only realising then that they had spent most of their day shopping. There had been a couple of stops for essentials such as ice cream and waffles, but they mostly spent the afternoon walking around, and buying everything that went through Grace's mind.

Christian did notice that he had to reassure Grace several times that he would get her whatever she wanted, which he took it as Ana had probably had to restrain their daughter's enthusiasm in the past, and Grace had learned to make sure it was okay before asking for something, but this was something he was going to work on. He didn't want his daughter to feel like she should restrain herself.

Jamie was already gone, but Christian saw that Ana looked lighter. So, he assumed that whatever had been said between them, Jamie had allowed Ana to, if not forgive herself, move on. She smiled at them as Grace jumped in her arms to tell her of her afternoon with her father and uncle, but her smile froze when she spotted Elliott with a cage and Taylor behind him with a ton of bags.

Christian checked on his watch, hoping that the flowers would be delivered quickly, and Ana sent their daughter to her room to undress so she could give her a quick shower. As soon as Grace was out of ear range, Ana put her hands on her hips and glowered at the two Greys.

"You two … 'a nice afternoon with Grace' does not mean buying her the entirety of New York City! And Christian, we just got her a cat, and now you bring another one. You'll have to learn to tell her no."

"I did. She wanted a St Bernard."

She glared at him, though he could see the small smile on the corner of her lips. She took a small breath and closed her laptop that she had been working on when they came in. Christian closed the distance between them and planted a kiss on her lips, caring very little about his brother being around.

"Jamie left?" He asked and she nodded, briefly glancing at his brother before letting him know, "Yes. And by the way, Roger called. He said we should go out tomorrow and 'stage' a picture that would go alongside the announcement since there are no pictures with the three of us out there. I was thinking we could see Elliott off at the airport."

He agreed though he was annoyed by this new tactic Roger was adopting. In a way, he couldn't blame him because Ana always managed to make him go in the way Roger wanted. So of course, he would go where he knew he would have support. But on the other hand, Roger was working for him, and he shouldn't even try to be in contact with Ana.

Grace ran back to the living room, half-dressed, holding Peanut in her arms as she solemnly said, not at all bothered that she was in socks, her panties and a shirt, "Peanut needs to meet his brother."

She sat on the floor and opened the door, but the grey kitten didn't move, so she had to reach to get him out. She took him in her arms, under Peanut's curious eyes and the small ball of grey hair stuck his nose out, sniffing the air with a bit of fright.

"What are you going to name him, Grace? Butter?" Elliott asked, and Grace rolled her eyes, just like her mother would have done.

"No. His name is Gus. Like in Cinderella."

"But … isn't the cat named Lucifer in Cinderella?"

"But he is a bad guy. I'm not giving the name of a bad guy to my cat! That's not nice."

The adults smiled at her as the two kittens were getting acquainted, and Christian hoped that they would start to entertain themselves and stop bothering him when he was home.

Just as Ana told Grace to follow her to the bathroom, the flowers were delivered. A huge bouquet of sunflowers with a few red roses to make the yellow flowers pop even more. Ana blushed as she accepted the flowers and she kissed Grace to thank her. As she kissed Christian, she whispered in his ear, "I know what you did here. But I'm a sucker for sunflowers, so I guess it's working."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

When Monday morning came, Christian found Jamie waiting in front of his office at the first light of the day. Ana had explained that Jamie and she had talked and decided to try to reconnect on those years they lost. Christian didn't comment much on that because he didn't know what to say, though he could tell that having had the opportunity to talk with Jamie and let him know how she felt had clearly lifted a weight off her shoulders.

He gestured towards Jamie that the younger man should come into his office, and Andrea followed them in to give them the rundown of what was waiting for them for the day. When she was done Christian opened the file of one of his businesses in London, so he could break it down to Jamie, but he felt this weird awkwardness between them.

He ignored it for a while, but Jamie killed the elephant in the room, "Mr Grey, about Saturday …"

"First of all, I think you can call me Christian. We're going to work together a lot, and Ana is definitely going to make sure you spend some time at home. Second … What happens between Ana and you, doesn't affect the way I see you professionally. I hired you for your talent, not your past."

He knew that he was being rather hypocritical because he would have gladly fired Jamie when he thought he was one of Ana's exes. But Jamie didn't need to know that. All he needed to know was the fact that he was there, supporting Ana no matter what. And that the relationship between Ana and Jamie would not affect their professional relationship.

Jamie nodded, sitting a bit more relaxed in his chair as he added, "I know Ana said that she put a ban on you firing me. But I also know you don't like mixing personal and business. It's actually the reason I hesitated to take the job. I didn't know that you were still together, and you had a kid. But I knew you had a past with her, and …"

He took a deep breath, "I'd rather lose the job than my chance of reconnecting with Ana. So, if you want me to resign …"

"And lose my head? Have you met Ana? No, you're staying. For both our sakes." Jamie let out a small laugh, and Christian said to lighten up the mood, "Who knows, maybe after a few dinners at our place, you'll finally speak your mind without fearing I'll come after you."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The day was filled with many meetings and videoconferences. Christian barely took the time to have lunch, and he made sure that everyone around him was as busy as him. Jamie was his shadow every step of the way, and he kept Andrea and Thomas (though he was in Seattle) just as busy.

Which did not necessarily help his mood. Thomas was supposed to make his life easier, and instead of just doing as told, he kept asking to talk straight to Ana. His demands were simple, and yet, Thomas was making it more complicated than they needed to be.

It was nearing eight in the evening when Christian finally looked at the time, and it was only because Andrea popped her head in the office before leaving, reminding him to call his daughter for her bedtime. He cursed under his breath and told Jamie to go home as well. Raymond was supposed to drop by in half an hour, but since it was a last-second meeting, Christian didn't want his shadow to be there. He didn't know what it was about.

He FaceTimed his daughter, who answered at the first ring, with a bright smile, "Mama said that you would call."

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I lost track of time."

"It's okay. I ate all the left-over lasagne. Mama said she will make you soup when you come home," Grace bragged and Christian repressed a grimace, hardly thinking that soup was actually a meal that would sustain anyone.

Still, he checked his phone and saw a couple of texts from Ana reminding him to not forget to call their daughter for bedtime. "How was school today?"

"It was okay. Though I don't think Miss Donovan is a very good teacher."

"Oh?"

"There are a lot of things she doesn't know. Every time I ask her a question, she says later, or that it's not re..levant to the class. Mama said it's because Miss Donovan wants to make sure everyone in the class understands, but my questions are easy. So, I ask them to Mama when I get home."

Christian hummed, not sure what he should say to that, and Grace seemed to be satisfied with his answer as she added with pride, "But that's because Mama knows _everything_. Like she knew that you would call because you're busy."

"She does know everything."

"Are you going to be busy tomorrow again? Because Jack is coming to dinner, and Mama said she was going to make leek pie."

"Yeah, I should be home, sweetie." Grace smiled brightly before turning the screen so she could show him her kittens playing with each other.

They kept talking for another five minutes before Christian let his daughter know that he still had some work to do. She blew him a kiss, and Raymond knocked on his door barely two minutes later. The older man sat in front of Christian, staring at him until Christian finally asked for his reason to visit.

"So … I read in the papers today that 'you knew all along' about your daughter, and that the girls came back to the US for medical reasons …"

"Really, Raymond? Did you ask to see me today because you know that the news lied?"

"No. I just … had a conversation with Ana this morning, and she informed me that she was leaving me at the end of the year …"

_Christian went to his room, expecting to find Ana in bed, but all he found was her laptop open. He had just finished his phone conversation with Mr Cho, since he had missed it on Saturday, and had quickly passed by Grace's room just for the pure pleasure of it. This was the first time she was staying over on a Sunday night, and no matter how simple it was, it made him smile. _

_He called out Ana's name and heard a muffled response from the bathroom, but when he tried to enter it, it was locked. He let out a sigh, definitely set on having this conversation with her about her new habit of locking bathroom doors. But in the meantime, he went to bed, setting his phone aside. His eyes quickly drifted to the screen of her laptop, but he just laid down, repressing a yawn as soon as his head hit the pillow. _

_Ana came out of the bathroom a few minutes later, smiling at him as she saw him, and she sat on her side of the bed, putting her laptop on her laps as she explained, "Let me just highlight where I stopped."_

_Christian made some sound to let her know he heard her, but as soon as her coconut smell hit his nostrils, he upped himself on his elbow and started kissing all the skin he could access, as he told her, "I don't understand why you keep locking yourself in bathrooms. You spent a night at the hospital because of that."_

_She snickered, "Young and innocent parents. You obviously don't know the value of _**_me-time_**_ yet."_

_He kissed his way up from her arm to her neck, making her chuckle. "I could show you some _**_us-time_****_. _**_I promise you'll enjoy it as much as I will."_

_"Do I have to remind you that we are 203 steps away from Grace?" She told him in a mocking tone. _

_Grace had insisted before going to bed the previous night to count how many steps there were between her and her mom once again, and she made a point of complaining that it was a lot of steps and that she was little, so her parents should think of relocating their room where Ana's used to be. _

_Christian smiled but kept on kissing Ana and her delicious smelling skin, though his ardour had died down. Ana highlighted a new part on her screen, before closing her laptop and putting it on her bedside table. Then, she removed her reading glasses and cuddled in Christian's arms as he joked, "And there I thought I'd be the first one to bring work in our bed."_

_"To be fair, this wasn't really work. More like studying. I caught up on all my work yesterday when you and your brother were busy turning my sweet child into a spoiled brat."_

_Christian shook his head, extending his hand to switch off the light of his bedside. "Studying? Aren't you a kickass lawyer already? What more do you have to study for?"_

_"Tsk, tsk. First, you should always go to bed having learnt something during the day, otherwise, you wasted your day. Second, laws are different in Washington. I need to make sure I'm up to date with that state."_

_This ought to stop Christian from switching off the light, and he looked down at Ana, waiting for her to look up since he hadn't said a word. She smiled at him, and he cleared his throat, "Babe … about the school and all. I was just browsing, but they take time and — "_

_"I get it, Christian. But if we could avoid bribing every school that Grace enrols in, it would be best."_

_"I don't want you to feel like I'm forcing you to move to Seattle. If you want to stay in New York, we — "_

_"It's okay, Christian. I always figured we would go to Seattle when we would move in with you, to be fair."_

_"But …" He looked at her, puzzled, and she passed her hand on his cheek, shaded by a five o'clock beard._

_"I know you don't like New York. You've always been clear about it. And … okay, I'm not thrilled about moving Grace three times in one year. But it will be best for her. She will be around your family, and she can grow up with her cousins around."_

_"What about you?"_

_"Well, … I am a bit sad that I'll leave Jose and Karl behind yet again. But it will be easier for visits this time. And I'm fairly sure Jose will demand a designated room for when he'll visit."_

_"I'll fly him every weekend if he wants," Christian promised, holding Ana close to him and hiding his face in the crook of her neck. She smiled, shaking her head as she reasonably reminded him, "He works in the food industry. He doesn't have many weekends. But don't tell him you said that, he'll definitely hold you to that."_

_"But I mean it. I'll fly any person you want. Jose, Mia from Canada. Even Andrew." _

_At this, she checked his temperature, and he pouted at her, making her laugh. He shared her smile, before cupping her face and letting her know, "It does feel though that you're compromising a lot. I … I don't want …"_

_"That's what couples do, Christian. They compromise. I told you that Friday night. Though Grace is always on my mind, I didn't jump in your arms in LA for her sake. I did it because I've always wondered 'what if'?" What if we had tried this whole relationship thing without contracts? _

_And … well, you expect some things out of this relationship, and I expect some other things, so we just have to meet in the middle."_

_Christian gently traced the contour of her face, getting lost in the blue of her eyes, and he asked, "What do you expect from me, then?"_

_"Not much. Just for you to be a father to Grace, and to respect me as a person, not an acquisition or an employee. I just want you to treat me as your equal when we're at home."_

_Christian kept on tracing her face with his fingers, realising with a lump in his throat that he didn't even meet these incredibly low expectations. She took his hand in hers, and gently squeezed it with a smile that told him that she knew what he was thinking and that she wasn't holding Friday night against him. _

_He cleared his throat, keeping his hand in her as he asked, "And what do you think my expectations are?"_

_"What we have now. Nothing more, nothing less." She held his gaze, her subtext obvious, and it struck him how well Ana knew him. _

_They never talked about children, but she knew without asking him that Grace was enough for him. She could have expected him to change his mind, but she knew he didn't because she knew him that well. Just like she knew that the first person he called was his lawyer, just like she knew that work was important to him. _

_"And you're okay with that?" He asked, dreading the answer. He wasn't good enough to let her go if she wasn't okay. _

_"I already have Grace. And now, I have you."_

_"What about all that 'breeding like a Catholic rabbit' thing?" He reminded her. It used to annoy him so much when she would say that, because this was always a reminder that no matter what, he couldn't give her what she truly wanted. _

_"Dreams change," she dismissed, and he held her chin up."That's not what you said, Friday. You said you gave up your dream, and I know you meant it."_

_She looked for her words for a while, before explaining, "It was you, or the children. I chose you."_

_Christian felt his heart make a double beat, and he leaned in to capture her lips in what he had intended to be a sweet kiss. But as soon as he felt her lips against his, something took over him, and in the blink of an eye, he found himself on top of her, kissing her passionately as he was dry humping her. _

_It was only when he slipped his hand beneath her shirt to imprison her boob in his hand that he regained reason, and he rolled on his back, breathing just as heavily as Ana. For a moment, neither of them said a word, before he pointed out, "I miss your satin night-wears." She chuckled, and so he admitted, "In fact, if you weren't so picky, I would buy you a whole wardrobe of new clothes."_

_"You do that with Grace and leave my clothes alone." She reached to finally switch off the light from his bedside and he took her back in his arms, spooning against her as he asked, _

_"As we're steady, and living together, and faithful. I was wondering, when are we going to ditch the condoms?"_

_"Never."_

_"Never? Babe, I want to feel the _**_whole_**_ of you. With no latex between us."_

_He felt Ana shake her head. "Nope. We're keeping on the condoms. Shall I remind you how Grace was conceived in the first place?"_

_"What about the pill? Or the shot?" He suggested, and once again, he felt Ana shake her head._

_"Nope. Not taking any of that."_

_"Babe …" He tried to argue, but Ana was firm on that. _

_"It's not up for debate, Christian. My body, my hormones, my choice. You can get a vasectomy if you want. But we both know what it means for a man, so, we're keeping with the condoms."_

Christian shook his head back to the present time, focusing on his lawyer in front of him, instead of the memories of cuddling and pillow talk with his girl. He raised an eyebrow at Raymond, not understanding how Ana handing in her notice meant that Raymond needed to speak to Christian as soon as possible.

"So? What does that have to do with me?"

"Come on, Christian. Don't play coy. She refused for me to set her up with any lawyer I know in Seattle, and we both know that she's good at her job. So, am I going to have to fish for another big client?"

Christian frowned, lost for a moment not sure he understood what Raymond meant. Raymond had never shied from telling him that he was his biggest client and that was why he always made sure to leave Christian satisfied. Every time he had another lawyer work with him to build a contract or take over another company abroad, Raymond always made sure to have the best. Though Christian had to admit that he was surprised that Ana's name never appeared on the paper.

After all, Raymond always prided in his find of Ana. This had caused some tensions between the two men in the past when it became obvious to Christian that Raymond showed interest in the brunette professionally. He had always made a point to separate business and pleasure, but he had reasoned himself back then by reminding himself that Ana was just a contract and that there was nothing more to it.

But then, he finally understood that Raymond thought that Ana would just replace him as Christian's lawyer. And though it would be more convenient to him to have the person taking care of his international affairs working in the same city as him, he would never employ Ana again. This situation led to too much drama and heartache in the past.

"Honestly, Raymond. That's ridiculous. If I were to get rid of a lawyer, I'd get rid of Thomas. He's starting to get on my nerves. Don't worry, your retirement is still secured," Christian assured the man, and Raymond approvingly nodded, smiling at the jab. He always called Christian his retirement fund.

"Well, is she going to replace Gerald then?" Raymond asked, apparently already aware that Christian had issues with Gerald Thomas.

Once again, he raised an eyebrow at Raymond, before getting up and putting his coat on, packing some work to do back home whilst he would eat his _soup_. "If your protégée doesn't want to share with you what she intends to do once she no longer works with you, what makes you think that I will?"

Raymond also got up, shaking his head obviously reading between the lines, and he followed Christian out, letting him know something that boosted Christian's ego.

"Well, you succeeded where I've been failing. Don't get me wrong, I was thrilled to have Ana work with me when she came back. But as a mentor, it does hurt to see your pupil not achieve what she had always wanted to do. She put her heart and soul into it, and last second, she decided to go on a different path. I've spent the past year trying to connect her with some high-end lawyers dealing with familial law, and in just a few months, you've convinced her to go back to her passion."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

All week long, Christian came back long after Grace was in bed. In fact, the night Jack came to visit the girls, the one night he had absolutely not wanted to miss, he had an impromptu meeting with Sydney, and when he came home Ana was already sleeping. Thankfully, Andrea always made sure to remind him to call Grace to wish her goodnight.

He and Jamie were off to London on the next Monday, and that was why, on Friday morning, Ana suggested for Christian to be the one to take Grace to school so they could spend a little daddy-daughter time together and so Grace wouldn't feel abandoned since he had barely spent time with her since she moved in.

As Taylor was driving them to her school, Christian tried to explain that he did not forget about her, but Grace just dismissed it, saying that her Mom told her that he was busy, just like when they were in London. Then, she complained a little, explaining that usually, Sawyer would put music on in the car.

But when Christian told Taylor to turn on the radio, Grace stopped him, and said, "No. Mama puts on the song from Coco. _Recuérdame_. Because she says that like Hector, '_Te llevo en mi corazón y cerca me tendrás' _(_for even if I'm far away I hold you in my heart_)."

Christian smiled, fairly sure she had just quoted the movie, though he didn't remember it that well. Still, he made a mental note to thank Ana for making sure that Grace knew that he was thinking of her, even though he was not present.

For the rest of the way, Grace excitedly spoke to her father about Peanut and Gus, and based on how much she laughed, she was happy to have them. Christian carefully listened, aware of how obsessed Grace was with her pets. She had insisted that only she could give them food because they were not doing it properly.

When they got to school, Christian walked her to her class, seeing it for the first time, and after she kissed him goodbye, Christian felt a pinch in his heart as he watched Grace go to a corner of the class and grab one of the children books there to read. Every other kid that was already there were all playing together, and Grace had to find herself a friend in a book.

He started walking away, unsure of what to do to make his daughter feel better about her ostracization, but before he could go far, he was hailed by Grace's teacher. He repressed a sigh, feeling that this was the moment Raymond had warned him about when he learned that Ana and Christian were putting Grace through private school. The moment when teachers were casually trying to bleed him dry.

"Mr Grey, it's such a pleasure to meet you. I'm Grace's teacher, Miss Donovan."

He shook her hand, not giving her anything to work with, even though he could tell she was slightly uncomfortable. She let out a small nervous laugh and confessed, "I did make a fool out of myself several times. I must have confused three different men for Grace's father before that article came in."

"We have many men in the family. Your point?" He coldly retorted, sure that Jose and Elliott were amongst the confusion. And there was a good chance that Andrew was the last one since he knew that he had come with Ana a couple of times to pick Grace and cheer her up due to her lack of socialisation.

Miss Donovan cleared her throat, even more uncomfortable and Christian snapped at her, "I'm a busy man, Miss Donovan. So, if you could make it quick."

"Well … I've been trying to talk to your … Miss Steele, but she's been adamant … The thing is, as I told Miss Steele, I don't think Grace has a place in my class."

Christian quickly glanced at Grace, just to make sure she was far enough not to hear this incompetent teacher diss her. She had been so looking forward to going to school, and so far, it had been nothing but disappointments. And yet, this Miss Donovan character thought she knew better when a _four-year-old_ felt that she didn't know much, to begin with.

He took a quick breath through his nose to control his temper and vowed to call the school later in the day to get that incapable teacher fired, and unable to ever teach again.

"And what gives you the right to be so judgemental of a child? You're a teacher, you're here to teach, not to make judge— "

"No, no. sorry. What I meant was … I can't teach her anything. Kids are learning how to write their names and about the days of the week, and she can already read and count endlessly. This is kindergarten, and she's already bored because she can't learn anything. And that's also why she doesn't bond with other kids. Four-year-olds want to mould playdough, they don't usually care about knowing how the sun can be a star and yet be so much bigger than the other ones. They usually don't even know that the sun is a star."

Christian glanced back in Grace's direction, feeling slightly bad for his snap judgement of Miss Donovan. Grace was reading in her corner, and it dawned on Christian that it wasn't normal for a four-year-old to read. He was so used to Grace being so bright and curious, and Ana so often brushed it off as normal that he stopped thinking about it, but no matter his poor experience with children, he knew deep down that Grace was not acting like a four-year-old.

Miss Donovan sensed that she had piqued his interest, and so she kept campaigning for her case, "Don't get me wrong, she is a sweetheart, but I think she should get tested. I can't be sure, because Miss Steele refuses to get her tested, but I think that Grace is gifted. And if that's the case, we're definitely not the school for her."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** Many things happened, and some things did not happen. So just to make it clear, as Christian said, Ana knows him better than he knows her. She knew he didn't want more kids; she knew he went to his lawyer when Grace came in the picture, and apparently, she knew he would work more now that they're living together.**

**💚 Also, if you want sneak-peeks and pictures, go follow my Facebook page, Mina's Broccolis ^^**

💚**Now question time,**

**1\. Okay, let's talk about the last thing first. I have planted many hints throughout the story that Grace MIGHT be gifted. But the question is, is she? And why Ana doesn't want to test her?**

**2\. Now, we know about Jamie, and we know why Ana needed time to process. I thought it was obvious and everyone would know as soon as Christian first mentioned his name a few chapters ago, but obviously not. And before any of you jump on my throat, shame and guilt are very powerful emotions. But what do you think of him?**

**3\. Now, it is settled, Ana and Grace are going to move to Seattle at the end of the year. And there will be more talk about Ana's job, but what do you think of that decision?**

**4\. In fact, I am really curious about your feelings on the condom conversation, because I have a strong opinion about this, but I'd like to know yours as well.**

**5\. And we have a new cat. Do you agree with Ana, that Christian should say no to Grace more often/firmly?**

**6\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? Mine was between the song moment with Grace, and when Christian held Ana in his arms as she told him about Jamie**

**7\. And what do you think will happen next?**

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	20. Chapter 18: Sunflowers & Topaz & Yellow

**My dear little broccolis💚💚💚**

**💚 So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

💚** Also, i****f you want pictures of the story, just check out my Facebook group, Mina's Broccolis, and you will find pictures as the story unveils. And a few sneak-peeks here and there as well.**

**💚 FIRST OF ALL, Eid ****al**-**Adha**** Moubarak to you all. I hope you will get to spend this **

**‼️ABOUT THE REVIEWS‼️**

**Guys, I'm so sorry, but it's three in the morning. I'll answer next time, I promise ^^**

**‼️DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW‼️**

💚** Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy **💚

**Chapter 17:**** Sunflowers & Topaz & Yellow Spot (5,4K)**

**So this chapter is all Yellow (look at the stars, look how they shine fooooooor you). Because yellow is warm, and the colour often linked to family**

After dropping Grace at school, and talking to Miss Donovan, Christian told Taylor to drive him straight to work. On the way, he looked at his phone, hesitating about calling Ana to have a rant. How could she not tell him about this? But in all honesty, he was mostly annoyed at himself. It was obvious that Grace was gifted, but he had dismissed it quite easily.

But what kind of four years old wanted to hear about a failed French Revolution as their bedtime stories? Or assembled puzzles that even adults struggled with? Or asked questions about time difference, and understood the mechanics once explained? And even besides all of that, Grace picked up languages so easily and was so articulate. He didn't remember either of Elliott's kids to be so articulate at that age. And sure, he hadn't been around much, but even Elliott had confirmed it.

Grace did so many unusual things that Christian had qualified them as normal. But now that he was put in front of the facts, he realised that he had downplayed his daughter. And Ana was partly to blame. Every time he had pointed out that it seemed too advanced for Grace's age, Ana had claimed that it was just Grace being curious and Ana refusing to baby her.

Christian briefly found himself wondering if Ana had always spoken so eloquently to Grace. Even when she was a baby. He knew that people usually baby talked when they had infants, but he doubted Ana did so. In fact, he hated not knowing. He knew that if he asked Ana, she would shrug and tell him, but he hated that he had missed Grace's infancy, and Ana raising her. The first steps, the first words, the first scrapes and bruises, the first laughs. All of these little things that he missed, because he refused to let Ana talk, and he never opened a fucking letter.

He tried to picture himself doing the right thing, after a few weeks of reading that letter, after calling Thomas and telling him to handle the whole mess. He tried to picture himself going to London, and bringing the teddy bear that mattered so much to Ana. But deep down, he knew the truth. He never would have gone. And even if he did, it would have been in the selfish vain hope to get Ana back, not because he would have wanted to bond with Grace.

And worst, he knew that Ana was very well aware of that. She knew that the only thing that made him sit down and bond with Grace was her illness, the fact that fate had put a time-limit on the time they might spend together. Was this why she didn't tell him about Grace's capacity? Because she felt that he still wasn't involved enough in their daughter's life? Or was it something else?

As soon as he got to Grey Enterprise & Holdings' New York office, he got to his desk, Andrea short on his heels. Jamie was already there, but at this point, it didn't surprise him anymore. All week, Jamie had always been there before him.

Andrea gave them a rundown of the day's schedule, reminding Christian of a couple of important meetings he couldn't postpone, as well his upcoming trip to London on Monday. She also let him know that Mr Cho had called and asked to be called back in an hour or so.

Once she was done, Christian dismissed her, ready to tackle yet another day that looked like a long one. But at the last second, he stopped his PA, and told her, "Call Wilks's office and get me a lunch meeting with Miss Steele. Make it an hour lunch at ... 1 pm should be good."

Andrea hesitantly looked at him, as if waiting for something more, and when he didn't add anything, she asked, "What shall I say the purpose of the meeting is?"

"She'll know," Christian dismissed, already looking down on his papers. He had to get Jamie prepared for London, and it seemed like so little time for such a big contract.

Andrea left without adding another word, and when the door closed, Christian slid some paper in Jamie's direction, explaining how important it was for him to remember those names and numbers. He caught the odd way Jamie looked at him, but the dark-skinned man never said a word. Though he didn't have to.

After all, it was odd for Christian to request a meeting with Ana when they were living together.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

When lunchtime finally came, Christian met with Ana at the restaurant Andrea had found for them. He had told his PA to order for them in advance, so they wouldn't waste time on the menu. He also had Sawyer go and fetch her, even though he knew that she was probably going to find a way to complain about that. Ana liked to be many things; dependent on others was not one of them.

She smiled at him as she walked towards him, and he got up to pull out her chair like any gentleman would do, and kiss her cheek as she sat down. When he did the same in front of her, she playfully admonished him, "You can't do that, Christian. Not every boss is as lenient as Raymond to let me go on a 'lunch meeting' at the last second. You're just lucky you're his biggest fish."

"I just needed to talk to you, and I didn't want to do it over the phone," he explained, and Ana glanced around, taking in the secluded placement of their table.

She blushed slightly, which was a rare feat, and told him, "As much as I'd love to, I've never been an exhibitionist. That's not my thing, Christian. And you can't pull me out of work for a booty call."

He frowned, before understanding what she thought he meant. And how he wished he had thought of that solution earlier. It would have been perfect. He should have thought of that, instead of making this meeting about something they could talk about later on.

"No, that's not it. Though I wished I had thought of it. I want to talk about Grace and what Miss Donovan says about her."

The humour and good mood instantly disappeared from Ana's face, leaving place for Ana's intense and calculated poker face. She blinked twice, before looking down and shaking her head as she reiterated, "You can't pull me out of work to talk about personal things, Christian."

"And you can't _not_ tell me our daughter is a genius," Christian countered in a barely contained whisper.

He watched her crack her knuckles, which he had learned over time meant he was testing her patience. Once again, she glanced around, and for a brief moment, Christian thought he could read her mind. She wanted to leave. He reached for her hand, to stop her from torturing her knuckles even more, and she snapped her head up, to bore her eyes into his. And for the first time, Christian felt small compared to her. Even though it was physically impossible, he felt ridiculously little compared to her.

"First of all, as I said, you can't pull me out of work to talk about personal things. You're the one who always said you don't want to mix business and pleasure. Well, don't mix it.

Second, are you really going to turn this on me? You don't know if Grace is a genius. You just have this one teacher who sees our daughter's curiousness as a sign of her being a genius, and you take her word as gospel. What do I know, right?"

"That's not what I meant," Christian immediately clarified. This wasn't supposed to turn into a fight, and he could see how it could easily do so. Ana felt that he was questioning her as a mother, and this was the last thing he ever had in mind. Which was why he chose his next words carefully,

"It's just that … I think we should let her take the test. Like that, we'll know for sure, and act accordingly."

Ana looked at Christian as if he was a simpleton, which he clearly didn't like. It was as if she was questioning his intelligence or his good sense.

"Because she's four," she said slowly as if she wanted to make sure this little reminder sunk in his brain. "It's a bit extreme to test a four-year-old. I won't put Grace through that unnecessary pressure. All her life she's going to be tested, and you want to start that at four?

Let's say the test shows that she is indeed gifted. Then what? What do you think happens to gifted children in those special schools? Do you think they are pampered and cared for? The teachers put pressure on them, so they always push themselves harder. And in the end, the kids do it naturally. By spirit of competition, perfectionism, stubbornness, they put pressure on themselves that no kid should feel. Especially at such a young age.

I refuse to put my child through it."

"_Our_ child," he corrected her, without meaning to.

Ana's face softened, as she conceded, "Our child, yes. I didn't tell you because I knew you'd react this way. I'm not stupid, I know Grace is bright, and I know that it's more than just a mother seeing her child as the eighth wonder of this world. But we agreed together that she would get a tutor in the new year. Which means, in Seattle.

If she is indeed gifted, the tutor will pick it up, without the need of a test that will make her feel like she is being examined, or like she has to prove herself. She's already struggling to make friends, I don't want to add another burden on her."

"In that case why not take her out of school now, and get the tutor?"

The food arrived as Ana shook her head, and warily looked at him, as if she was anticipating his reaction, "Life isn't easy, Christian. She needs to learn it. Yes, I don't want to put pressure on her, but I also want her to learn on her own some life lessons."

"Not having friends is not a life lesson. She's miserable and bored. At least, if we get the tutor now, she won't feel either way anymore."

"Trying and failing is a life lesson. Not getting what you want when you want it is another. I'd love nothing more than to spare her this hardship, but life isn't sweet."

"That's ridiculous. A good parent is supposed to make sure their child is always happy," he snapped, and immediately regretted his words as soon as they were out.

Ana looked at him as if he had slapped her, and when he reached to take her hand in his and apologise, she yanked her hand away. She looked down on her plate, and he tried to make up for his unfortunate words,

"I didn't mean you, Ana. You're an amazing mother. I just … don't understand why you wouldn't want to remove obstacles from our daughter's life if you can?"

"Because life is not an easy smooth road, it has ups and downs. And I don't care about how you see me on that matter. I don't need your approval on how to raise _our_ child. I know where I stand, and I know what Grace can and can't take. You can psychoanalyse it however you want, the bottom line is the same, Grace is too young to get any sort of test."

As she said those words, she got up and Christian understood that she was done with him. He stood up just as fast, not liking how this conversation ended. Not only did he not get what he wanted for Grace, but he had also upset Ana.

Ana smiled at him, not the sweet smile she had for him when she walked into the restaurant, but the small, sad and slightly condescending one she had when she walked back into his life. "I'll see you tonight."

Christian remained frozen for a couple of seconds before he regained control of his body. He left a couple of bills on the table before rushing after her, and he caught up with her as Sawyer held open for her the door of the car he had gotten for her.

He gave a look to Sawyer, and slid in the car on the other side, just so he could make sure that they would not part on such a sour note. Especially knowing he was going abroad for a whole week in just a couple of days.

"I really am sorry, Ana, for what I said. I never meant to imply you're not a fantastic mother."

"I know," she said simply, briefly glancing at Sawyer and Christian immediately regretted being in this car. At least in his car, there was a partition that could be rolled up.

"I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I know."

"It doesn't feel like you do. Or you would have stayed for the rest of the meal," he pointed out, and she shrugged, mumbling that she wasn't hungry, to begin with.

He lifted her chin and leaned to kiss her lips, caring very little about Sawyer in the driver's seat. She didn't recoil, but like every time he had been affectionate with her in public, she seemed uncomfortable.

"How about … to make it up to you, I take you and Grace to London and Macau with me next week?"

This seemed to snap her out of her morose mood. She chuckled and rolled her eyes as she told him, "First of all, Grace has school, in case you dropping her off this morning made you forget. Second, I have work, in case you calling my place of work to arrange this lunch made you forget."

"Didn't we agree that Grace was bored at school? I think travelling will teach her what some people call _street smarts_," he countered, mostly because he knew these were the exact words Ana needed to hear.

And even though she snorted at him, he saw in her eyes that she wasn't completely opposed to the idea of Grace discovering other places. "The only street smart you will teach her is how to get yet another cat." She rolled her eyes. "It would be great for her, but … I don't think you can juggle Grace and work for a whole week on your own."

"If I recall, I did mention taking you as well," he reminded her.

"And if I recall, I did mention that I had a job. I can't leave at the last minute."

"Raymond is coming with me. Some things he needs to go over in London, and I don't want to bother with the time difference. And he snuck himself in on my Macau trip. Anything to get drunk on my account." Ana laughed with him. "But he mentioned taking someone …"

"Christian … I can't just —"

"I just want to travel with you, and Grace. And … I've wanted to show you Macau for so long … I … please, just come."

She was still hesitating, and so he added the one thing that he knew would stop making her see things so rationally: "Jamie is also coming. That will give you two time to … reconnect."

She grimaced. "You're not being fair."

"No. I just know what I want. And since you happen to be what I want, I'll play any card in my possession to get you where I want … by my side."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

When Christian woke up on Saturday morning, the bed next to him was empty, which did not surprise him. In fact, he doubted he would ever find Ana in bed next to him during weekends. She was an early bird, and he was a night owl, which he always found funny. Sometimes they would talk, and Ana would fall asleep literally in the middle of a word. But still, he was not good enough to sacrifice his sleep on weekends. He had always liked sleeping in, and he felt entitled to his lazy mornings after all the nights he had sacrificed when he was building himself up.

For a moment or two, he stayed in bed and stretched, doing his best to get rid of his morning boner. The rare time he was not inconvenienced in the morning, was when he had drunk the night before, or taken a pill to sleep. But it wasn't the case on this day, and his brain had decided to replay the memory of the first time he had touched himself thinking of Ana.

_Christian woke up abruptly, not sure as to why. He glanced around the room but found nothing unusual. No monster lurking from beneath the bed, no burglar ready to rob him off, no ghost to reap his soul away. Just the beautiful brunette soundly sleeping by his side._

_She mumbled something in her sleep, but he knew it wasn't what had woken him up. He was used to her incoherent nonsense. Though he couldn't understand for the life of him why broccolis and turtles were such recurrent words in her sleep talk. _

_Softly, he brushed a loose strand of her hair away from her face, the one that had escaped the braid she made to sleep. He let his fingers travel on her skin, tracing an invisible line as his eyes lingered on her face. _

_He had always thought that Ana was beautiful, breathtaking even when she batted her lashes a certain way. And more than once, he wished he had made a move on her before getting to know her. He wished he had made her see the stars, and gotten to know her body first hand. _

_With a heavy sigh, he rolled on his back, regretting that he let his thoughts go this way. Ever since Vegas, it had been more and more difficult to get rid of an unwanted erection. And even more difficult to not just jerk it away. He tried to think of something less appealing than Ana and her marvellous toned body, but of course, it was at that moment that Ana decided to move, moaning a little as she did so. _

_Silently, Christian got up, his hands in fists. What he wouldn't do to wake her up and have his way with her. What he wouldn't do to kiss his way down, and make sure she'd wake up with an orgasm. What he wouldn't do to just take her, here and now. _

_He locked himself in the bathroom, looking down at the tent pitched in his trousers. How long had it been since he masturbated? Years … But right now, it was all he could think about. So he took his member in his hand, and closed his eyes, thinking of how this could play out. _

_Since he was masturbating, he decided to be selfish in his fantasy. He imagined Ana waking up to use the bathroom, and finding him standing there, cock in hand, hard with desire. She would bite her lip and sensually walk to him, before kneeling and deepthroating him. He was large and long, but in his mind, she could take him, though of course, she would choke a little once in a while. Because he was that big. _

_Then, he would turn her, and bend her over the sink, ripping her silky nightgown without a care in the world. She would already be ready, and he would slap her delectable ass, just to test how firm it was. She would moan, silently begging for more, and he would take her in one hard thrust, making her scream of pleasure. _

_He would go in and out of her wet folds, pinging her clit to stimulate her even more and she wouldn't be able to do anything but scream out his name. Again, again, again. He was the best thing she ever had, the best fuck she could ever hope for, and all she wanted was to tear the contract up and for them to fuck seven ways into the week. _

_He sped up, imagining meeting Ana's eyes in the mirror as he pounded into her, her voice hoarse due to his intensity, as he would get lost inside of her telling her that he loved her._

Christian came back to the present moment, glaring at his still hard cock, and he took a quick cold shower since he couldn't think of anything else that would calm him down. He blamed their lack of sexual interaction. It had been weeks since Ana and he had sex, but between their schedules, and having Grace home, they couldn't ding a moment to be intimate.

Once he was fresh, Christian decided to check the kitchen, and he unsurprisingly found Ana there, making breakfast, even though he kept telling her to let the maid do it. She was rapping alongside Coolio to Gangsta's Paradise. He leaned against the wall, watching as Ana braided the brioche and sang every lyric with perfection.

In the past, he had noticed that Ana loved singing whilst cooking or cleaning, but no matter how many times he caught her rapping, it always surprised him. She just didn't look like a rap kind of girl, and yet, she happily cited along with the rapper in question.

When the song ended, another one automatically started, making Ana sway her ass in a sensual way as she put the brioche in the oven. Christian didn't even try to think twice and positioned himself behind her as Shaggy explained how he was fantastic since he was Mr Bombastic.

He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her neck as he swayed at the rhythm of the song and she sang with Shaggy, giggling when he would hold her closer, and nibble her earlobe. He closed his eyes, appreciating the moment as it came and inhaling deeply her coconut smell as her ass ground against his front.

Surely, this was not the best thing after all his hard work of the morning, but … he was not going to pass up the opportunity. In the middle of the song, he turned her so they would be front to front, and she immediately locked her arms behind his neck, his hips still sensually swaying.

When the song ended, he kissed her, closing any gap between them and she happily returned his kiss, though she was the one to break it when Ricky Martin started singing about Living La Vida Loca. She beamed at Christian and started dancing to the upbeat rhythm of the song. But this time, Christian joined in the singing, making her twirl several times throughout their improvised salsa.

He only noticed Grace watching them when Ana broke from his embrace to bring the little girl in their dancing. Grace smiled brightly, though her eyes had been sparkling with wonder just before when her parents were still dancing together.

It seemed that Ana and Grace were used to this sort of impromptu dancing and singing session because Grace squealed when she heard the first notes of the next song. Ana hoisted her up so Grace could stand on a stool, though Ana was holding her up, and Christian simply smiled as he retreated and watched the two girls sing the feminist anthem of Cyndi Lauper.

Grace seemed to know the song just as well as Ana, and she hugged her mother at the end of the song, under Christian's amused eyes. Another song started, but Ana shut down the music, and kissed her daughter's cheek, letting her know, "Breakfast is going to be ready soon, go wash your hands, honey."

Grace rushed away, only slowing down when her mother reminded her to not run in the apartment. Christian rolled his eyes at this. It wasn't the first time Ana was reprimanding Grace about running indoors, but he felt it was unnecessary since he knew that the penthouse was well insulated.

As soon as he knew that Grace was out of ear range, he moved to kiss Ana's neck, and he whispered in her ear, "You know what, I'd rather be one of those couples who plan their sex life, than one of those who doesn't have one. So, I guess we'll have to arrange something when we get back. Because I'm just seconds away from locking Grace in her room and tiring you out until you can't stand."

Ana grinned wickedly, lust gleaming in her eyes as she squeezed his butt. She moved away from him and lightly retorted, "I'll ask Jose. But just so you know, in the animal kingdom, most of the time, it's the female that tires the man, not the other way around."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The same afternoon, Carrick called to speak with his granddaughter who bragged about going back to London with her daddy the following week. She was over the moon about going back to England, and she was telling everyone the news at least twice, to make sure they didn't forget.

Ana explained to her that they would only stay a couple of days and that they wouldn't get to visit, but Grace didn't seem to care. As long as she would be in that rainy country, it seemed enough for her. Which made Christian ponder, as he worked in his office.

He had never seen Grace so excited about something. And, though he couldn't know for sure, he felt that Grace enjoyed England more than the US. He couldn't blame her, she had been sick for most of her time in the US. But he wondered if maybe, subconsciously, the girls weren't missing their time when they were together, without him. After all, even Ana seemed giddy at the idea of going back to the country of crumpets.

He never really liked England, and even less, crumpets. People were just … not forward enough in his mind. But when he had told that to Ana, she had rolled her eyes and reminded him that no one would ever be forward to him, when he could easily end their career in a snap of his fingers.

But more than people, he didn't like the country. Though he often travelled there for business reasons, he never saw a _single_ day of sun. And they were obsessed with their cups of tea. And their queen. And most importantly, everything was cramped. He liked having his space. He knew that this was an issue of the Old Continent because the roads had been built upon the ones that have been there for centuries but … he liked the good old US better.

He was torn out of his thoughts by Grace walking in his office, showing him her mother's phone as she told him, "Pops wants to speak with you. I said I will bring him a Paddington bear because he said he had one when he was little like me."

Christian smiled at his daughter, promising her that they would buy the bear in question and she beamed, leaving Christian to speak with his father. Christian put the phone on speaker, so he could still work at the same time, especially since he was sure he was in for a lecture since he never called.

"So, I don't know if you know, but Grace is going to London on Monday," Carrick teased, and this made Christian chuckle. Now he was sure that his father had probably heard more than twice about the upcoming trip.

"Yeah. And I heard you're asking my kid to smuggle toys for you. Grandparents are supposed to be a good influence, you know."

"I'm the best influence there is. She loves me. And she listens to me."

"About what?" Christian asked, curious. He could almost picture his father mischievously smiling as he said, "Secrets."

Christian rolled his eyes., mumbling beneath his breath, "Well, if you could get Ana to listen, that'd be great."

He wished that Carrick hadn't been able to distinguish what he mumbled about, but it wasn't his lucky day. "Everything okay, son?"

Christian hesitated. He didn't want to make a bigger deal of the whole genius ordeal. They had come to a compromise of the tutor for the new year, but Christian was feeling that it was wasting Grace's potential for the next month and a half. Maybe if his parents approached Ana with the experience they had as parents, she would be more open to reopening the conversation.

"Grace's teacher thinks she's a genius," he said, keeping his eyes on the door in case Ana came in. "And Ana refuses to test Grace to check if it's the case. According to her, she's too young, and she's just a bit more curious than the average kid."

There was a small pause before Carrick said, "I think you're both right."

"We can't be both right. Either she's gifted, or she's not. And I'm telling you, she is. Ana is just … overprotective."

"I don't think that has anything to do with it. We were talking about it with your Mom last week and … yes, little Grace does seem brighter than the average kid. _Much brighter_. I explained chess to her over FaceTime and she got it the first run around. It took you years to understand the game," Carrick teased, though this was news to Christian.

He knew that his parents called at least twice a week to speak with their granddaughter, but he never thought they ended up talking about chess … How could Ana not see that this was not usual?

"But in the meantime," Carrick continued, "Ana is right. She never babied Grace, and your mother is sure that this helped a lot in developing Grace's intellect. But most importantly, she is too young to get under the pressure that is put on gifted children."

Christian ticked at that, he was under constant pressure, and he never felt better than under pressure. Ana was all about teaching life lessons, this was one of the best. One worked better under pressure.

"Pressure is what makes diamonds, isn't it?" He reasoned, doing his best to hide his annoyed tone. He had been hoping to get his parents to side with him and reason with Ana, not the other way around.

"Well … that's the answer of a grown adult used to pressure. But if I have to put it otherwise, I will. We, as humans, usually develop social skills at Grace's age. When we don't, we end up being a sociopath, antisocial, or a serial killer."

"I didn't have many friends growing up. It didn't turn me into a serial killer."

There was a small pause that Christian didn't really like as if his father was implying that one of the other two options could be applied to him.

"You had your brother, and it does matter. And … you're not the most sociable person out there.."

Christian clenched his teeth, ignoring the lecture he knew was bound to come about how he ought to spend more time with his family and friends. He cleared his throat and redirected the conversation to the primary topic.

"_Anyway_, I just think that when there is potential like that, it should be nourished, not smothered."

"And I think Ana nourishes it in her own way. She taught Grace how to read, to count, to write, she answers all her questions - she actually encourages her to _ask _questions. I just think she is right to wait for a more opportune time to test Grace's abilities. Four is too young."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** I know that to some impatient souls, this feels like a filler, but there are many issues lightly touched upon that will amplify over time. I can't bring things out of nowhere, and there are 4-5 things that will actually matter immensely in the future that are planted in this chapter … **

💚** So, about the condom situation … I am 100% with Ana. It's a topic that will come back, but as she said, her body, her hormones, her choice. She already said in her last chapter previous story that the pill made her physically ill, in addition to mood swings. It affects her, she gets to choose. The best contraception is abstinence, the second-best is condoms. Yes, there is the risk of breaking, and slipping off, but there can be failure with the pill, too. I have to admit that I don't necessarily understand how asking to keep on condoms shows that she doesn't trust Christian. She gave her point-of-view and a solution to Christian. Two actually. She told him he could get on contraception, or he could get a vasectomy. He's the one who doesn't want kids, so why again is she the one who has to take the pill? As I said the last chapter, I have strong opinions on that matter, hence the long explanation, but in my book, the person who will be chemically imbalanced and will suffer the consequences will always have the last word. **

💚**Now question time,**

**1\. Okay, so as I said many times before, Christian can do no wrong to so many of you, I'm not even surprised anymore, haha. **

**2\. Now, this chapter was much longer, but I decided to cut the trip for another chapter. But do you think Ana is right to travel with Christian?**

**3\. And who do you side with on the Grace is a genius thing? Ana or Christian (can do no wrong XD)**

**4\. In fact, I am curious about your feelings on the way Christian pulled Ana away from work? **

**5\. And how do you feel about Carrick? I quite like him, personally, haha **

**6\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? Mine was the dancing**

**7\. And what do you think will happen next?**

**💚‼️💚 I was enjoying my family visiting me, but here I am making it up for you. So, here are the updates of the month 💚‼️💚**

**\- Road Trippin, FSOG version (COMPLETE)**

**\- The Nanny, FSOG story (chap 14)**

**\- Second Chances, TMI story (chap 20)**

**\- Forbidden Fruit, FSOG version (chap 20)**

**\- The Mobster's Wife, TMI version (chap 20)**

**\- Tainted Love, TMI story (chap 13)**

**\- The Consequences of a One-Nightstand, TMI story (chap 6)**

**\- A Flicker of Hope, Twilight story (Prologue)**

**\- How Much?, FSOG story (chap 1)**

**\- The Daddy story, TMI & FSOG version (chap 17)**

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	21. Chapter 19: Sweet Pea, Moonstone & Baiju

**My dear little broccolis💚💚💚**

**💚 So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

💚** Also, i****f you want pictures of the story, just check out my Facebook group, Mina's Broccolis, and you will find pictures as the story unveils. And a few sneak-peeks here and there as well.**

**‼️ABOUT THE REVIEWS‼️**

**1/ So just to make it clear, though Ana didn't outright say it, she does agree that Grace is cleverer than the average kid. But like Carrick, she thinks it's too early. She did compromise on the tutor when January will come, though. Because in the past, she made it clear that she didn't want to refrain Grace's curiosity. And I just want to point out that, so far, this is the one instance where she clearly stood her grounds to Christian. **

**2/ Now I know I keep being annoyed at people passing Christian left, right and centre. But it is because this is more his story than Ana's. Ana has had her character development, she is not the same as who she was in book 1, and now, Christian has to go through the same thing. He is just slower. But right now, in my books, he's annoying as ... Let's just say I don't think I would be that patient with him, haha. **

**3/ And I just want to put it out there, once again, they got back together in SEPTEMBER, and the girls moved in with him just after HALLOWEEN. I know we've had a lot of chapters, but not a lot of time has passed. It seems that some of you forget (Christian being the first) that not a lot of time has gone by.**

**‼️DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW‼️**

💚** Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy **💚

**Chapter 19:**** (10,2K) Sweet Pea, Moonstone & Baiju**

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Christian and Ana didn't talk again about testing Grace. Ana had been clear that the topic was off the table for her, at least until they moved to Seattle. He understood where she was coming from, but he still felt that Ana was just being overprotective of Grace. He was sure that Grace could handle this "pressure" everyone thought was going to plague his little girl. And in all honesty, he couldn't really see what kind of pressure one could put on a four-year-old … To make sure to colour between the lines?

But anyway, this would not be a problem until the New Year, and he would rather not start an argument he knew he would lose right now. Maybe in a couple of weeks, Ana would understand that Grace was not happy in school and that it would be for the best to give her what she needed, but for now, Ana was too much of a mama bear to listen to reason. Especially when his own parents were siding with her.

He would just bide his time and find arguments she wouldn't be able to counter. After all, in the end, they both wanted the same thing, for Grace to be happy. So, it wouldn't be too hard to convince her when New Year's Eve came, right?

Now, they were in the jet, on their way to London. Grace was more than excited, she was exuberant. She wouldn't stop talking about London and everything she wanted to do there. And every time Ana opened her mouth to calm her daughter's expectations, Grace's eyes shone brighter as she remembered something else, she wanted to do in London.

When she asked her father if he wanted to go see the men of the Queen with their funny hats, he had to remind her that he couldn't spend much time with her. "I'll be working a lot, sweetie, and we're not staying for long. I don't think I'll have time to be a tourist."

Grace made a face, but it lasted barely a second before she shrugged and jovially said, "It's okay, you're busy. Mama said you would be. Have you been to London before?"

"Yes." She waited expectantly for him to tell her more, and so he put down his files, catching from the corner of his eye Ana smiling, even though she seemed deep in conversation with Raymond. Jamie was on his laptop, focused on what he was reading there.

"I like the US better."

"_Why_?" It was quite obvious that Grace thought that there was no better place than London.

"What do you like so much about London?" He deflected, not wanting to put down the place his daughter obviously loved. Grace's blue eyes became even brighter as she started a long monologue of fifteen minutes during which she marvelled about everything that was great about London.

But, even though it was obvious she loved the place, Christian noticed that she mostly loved the feelings. Of course, he doubted Grace understood that. But for every reason why London was so great, Ana was the star of it. Ana had brought her to the Queen's palace. Ana went to the park with her so they could eat there. Ana had taken her to the elephant statues. They had gone to markets and farms, where she pet a real-life cow. Ana, Ana, Ana. Well, Mama, Mama, Mama …

Of course, occasionally, there was another name tossed out. Jose and Karl, Andrew, the late Mary and her son with whom the girls lived. Some other names as well that Christian had never heard of before.

Grace was in the middle of telling Christian about that one time one of her mother's friends took them to a football game, when Ana came to them, and took Grace in her arms, and told her, "Come on, honey. You promised to sleep on the plane."

"But Mama …"

"No, no. you promised. You don't want to be sleepy in London, now, do you?"

Grace pouted, but cuddled against her mother, nonetheless. Christian returned his attention to his paperwork, though he saw how Raymond chuckled at Grace's antics.

Ana started rocking her, caressing the young girl's chestnut hair as she sang the Mockingbird lullaby, though it had been clearly revised by her.

**_Hush, hush now, don't you fret _**

**_We're gonna go, we're gonna shoot_**

**_We're gonna laugh and all forget _**

**_And we'll end up in a boot _**

**_Seven leagues or seven miles _**

**_It won't matter we will be far _**

**_It won't matter we'll be all smiles _**

**_And we will drive in my car_**

**_And the tears we've shed 'til now_**

**_I won't let them … hold us back _**

**_I won't let them hold us down_**

**_Because we will never go back_**

Grace fell asleep in her mother's arms, and Christian noticed that Jamie had stopped working as soon as Ana started singing. Ana got up with her precious cargo to put Grace down on the bed in the other room. Christian saw her exchange a look with Jamie before the man looked back on his laptop with a small smile lingering on his lips.

He waited for a minute, before getting up himself and joining Ana in the room as she was tucking Grace properly in the bed. She smiled when she saw him, and something in her smile made him forget about everything but her at that moment. He cupped her face and kissed her, all the while making her walk backwards until they found the bathroom door.

He opened it, but when he was about to take her with him, Ana broke their embrace and took a step away from him.

"Babe …"

She shook her head. "Not only Grace is sleeping _literally_ on the other side of the door, but Jamie and Raymond will know."

"Who cares?"

"I do."

He frowned, not sure why she would care. They were an established couple, and it would surprise no one if they had sex. She shook her head again and said, "I'll make it up to you when we get back. I promise."

Then she kissed his lips briefly and went back to the others. Christian joined half a minute later, still annoyed, but hanging on to the promise she had just made him.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

They arrived in London Monday morning, early, with Grace yawning so much that it looked like she would dislocate her jaw. Christian had planned for Grace to stay in the office with them, but Ana had argued that since she was going to be stuck in Macau, she would drop their daughter at Ian's, Mary's son. She knew that both Ian and Grace would appreciate it, and she wouldn't feel too guilty about working with Grace around.

So Christian sent Taylor with the girls, so they could drop Grace at Ian's, and went straight to the office with Jamie and Raymond. Of course, once there, Lord Windsor, with whom he was in business, took them out for breakfast, saying that they would get to work a bit later, and he texted Ana to let her know.

She texted him back, saying that she'd wait for them at the office, and when they got back there, he saw why. She was getting all chummy and laughing with one of the guys working there. She was laughing with him, one of her hands on his arm as he was probably telling her some stupid joke.

All he wanted to do was to go to them and punch the guy in the face. But he ground his teeth, doing his best to not draw any correlation between her refusing his advances, and her laughing with some jackass.

He followed Lord Windsor to the meeting room, seeing from the corner of his eyes that Ana was walking to them with that useless jackass, and he wondered how he could twist the narrative so the man could be fired. The man looked up and caught his stare, and even though they still weren't in the room, they were close enough for Christian to hear, "So, I read not long ago that the reason you blew me off was because you were committed to another man. You should have told me I was trying to compete with Grey, I would have given up instantly."

Ana smiled politely, and when she looked up, she gave Christian a true smile before sitting next to Raymond.

Christian understood to his horror that this man who had hit on Ana in the past was one of Windsor's lawyers, and he sat opposite the Lord, doing his best to repress glaring at the lawyer. He wished Ana had sat next to him, but he was already sided with Jamie and Raymond.

The meeting dragged on and on, driving Christian crazy for it was supposed to be something done and dusted. It was always like that when it came time to finalise a deal with another big company. It was mostly a lawyers' show, each party reading the fine lines and making sure the words couldn't be twisted against their interests.

But on the bright side, he was seeing Ana at work for the first time. He never really managed to picture her as a lawyer. Probably because most of the lawyers he usually encountered were men. Or maybe because he knew of her soft and sweet side. Nonetheless, it was the first time he was seeing her be a lawyer, and it was obvious that she knew what she was doing.

More than once, Raymond let her talk for him and Christian could tell she knew the case very well. He was sure that she hadn't slept much over the past couple of nights just to make sure that she would know all the smallest details. And for a brief second, he saw what Raymond had feared. He saw Ana working for him the same way Raymond did. And he saw how well it would work. It would be perfect, they would be together more often, and even for Grace, they could travel all together, with a private tutor following them if necessary

But that illusion quickly faded away. Ana would never agree to that. No matter what would happen between them, Christian knew that Ana would never agree to work for him again.

When they turned yet another page, and the prick who served as one of Lord Windsor's lawyers expressed his disagreement in one of the subparagraphs, Christian let out a heavy sigh to show his annoyance. He glanced at his watch, and saw that they had been at it for more than five hours, so he announced, "Let's break for a moment."

Lord Windsor looked at his watch as well and agreed. He seemed as blasé as Christian about the whole affair, but it wasn't the first time they were working together, and they were used to this. It usually lasted two days, and then they would seal the deal together at some private dinner.

The secretary came in with some light refreshments, and Christian watched Ana tiredly pass her hand over her face as she was listening to Raymond. He knew she didn't sleep on the plane, but then again, only Grace slept. They all worked through the journey.

Christian got up, and walked to Ana, bending behind her as he whispered in her ear, "How about I take you out for lunch?"

"Uh?" She blinked and turned her face to him with a soft and sweet smile he knew was reserved just for him. "I was planning to work through lunch. There is this clause that I wanted to talk to you about. About — "

"I'm tired and hungry. I can't focus when it's both. Come with me?" He asked again, kissing her just behind the ear.

He didn't want to make a repeat of Friday by _making_ her come to him, but he wanted some time with her and her alone. He didn't want to break bread with the rest of them, especially not that jerk who was so familiar with her. He didn't need to be a genius like Grace to understand that they had worked together in the past.

They had had a couple of jabs at each other throughout the morning. And he was pretty sure that they had been more than work colleagues. Sure, Ana said nothing ever happened with anyone, but that guy clearly wished it had.

Ana graciously got up, politely excusing herself from the group, even though Christian felt that she didn't need to, and he walked her out. He told Taylor to drive them back to the Mandarin Hotel where they were staying. In fact, it was always where he stayed when he came to London.

On the brief drive there, they called Grace who was having a blast at Madam Tussaud's for the first time, and once in the elevator, Ana hung up and shook her head as she told him, "You know, we didn't need to get room service. I know many great places that would fully satisfy your sophisticated appetite."

"I doubt that," he said as they walked to their room. As soon as he closed the door, he stopped her from reaching for the menu by taking her head in his hands and kissing her.

She did not think twice and kissed him back, wrapping her hands around his neck and fisting his hair. Their kiss turned savage and passionate in half a second, and Christian was glad that she immediately picked up on what kind of hunger he had. His kiss was as demanding as it was loving, his hands cupping her face with both delicacy and possessiveness. And the more she clung onto him, the stronger his desire for her grew.

Even though, in the grand scheme of things, it hadn't been that long since they last had sex, it felt like it had been several lifetimes. He wanted to make it last as long as he could, to enjoy their first intimate moment in a while, but he knew they couldn't. They were only on a lunch break.

With urgency, he broke their kiss to peck and nibble her neck, at that sensitive spot that always made her release a sound between giggle and moan, and as he did so, he undid her sophisticated bun, losing one of his hands in her luscious hair.

His second hand undid the buttons of her blouse, and he kissed every inch of her skin as it was unveiled to him, loving how she was soft, like a peach … A peach that smelled faintly like coconut.

Once he was on his knees in front of her, he unzipped her skirt and let it fall on the floor. swiftly, he slid down her underwear, smugly noticing that they were wet, and once she was steady on her two feet, her heels discarded on the side, Christian plunged his tongue inside her.

She yelped with pleasure, her hands flying to his hair to clench it as he feasted on her. He played with her clit, his tongue relentless as his hands were firmly on her ass, bringing her closer to him, and he watched her close her eyes, throwing her head back as her breathing became faster.

He could see her climax coming, and the way she moaned out his name made him both hard and smug. So, he kissed his way back up, mostly because they didn't really have time for multiple earth-shattering orgasms, and once her face was back in his hands, he kissed her whole face as he told her how he felt.

"I love you so much, babe."

She attacked his lips, reaching for his belt before stopping suddenly as if remembering something. He shook his head and turned her around, taking off her blouse out of the way before reaching in his pocket for a condom. He rolled it on and bent her over the head of the sofa.

As he thrust in her, he kissed the skin of her shoulders, her long chestnut hair gathered in his hand, and he hissed in between two thrusts, "I'm going to make you mine in every way known to man."

She moaned, her lips tightly sealed, and he increased the intensity and speed of his moves, yanking her hair so his chest would touch her back. He nibbled her earlobe and whispered in her ear, "I want to hear you, babe. Let me know how good I'm making you feel. No one's going to hear you here."

And with that, he thrust a bit harder, making her gasp for air and reach forward for the sofa. He saw her grab the head, her knuckles turning white as she panted like a madwoman, louder and louder as her inner walls were getting tighter and tighter.

He knew he had her, she was about to climax when she froze and moved away from him. She turned around to look at him and made them spin so she could sit him on the sofa.

"I want to see you come with me," she whispered as she impaled herself on him, her beautiful blue eyes steady in his.

She started going up and down, bringing his hands to her hips so he could still impose the rhythm he wanted, but her eyes never wavered from his. And he could see it all in them. Her pleasure, her lust for him, but also and most importantly, her love for him.

She never said the words, but it had never been as evident as in this moment. She loved him. He could see the love shining in her eyes as she stared deep into his soul, as she gasped his name with so much care as if saying it out loud could break the spell.

And in this moment, words were meaningless. He had never felt as loved by her than in this instance. And so, instead of repeating yet again his love for her, he did what he could best to show his feelings, he kissed her, bringing her to cloud nine with him.

It took them five minutes to catch their breath, though Christian was sure that Ana could have gotten up to leave barely thirty seconds after their coitus. She pecked his lips and got up, telling him, "Just so you know, this is definitely my favourite kind of lunch."

He chuckled as she hurried herself to their room and he followed her with his eyes. It was definitely his favourite kind of lunch as well. He heard the shower running and so he called room service for them to have sandwiches to go for when they would be done. He then removed his clothes and disposed of the condom with a grimace in the bin before joining Ana under the shower.

She had wrapped her hair up in a messy bun, careful not to wet it, and she smiled when she saw him come in with her. "No funny business," she warned. "We don't have time for that."

Christian rolled his eyes. "If I want them to wait, they'll wait. I'm the boss, remember."

She gave him a pointed look, and she didn't have to explain her point-of-view. He was the boss, but she wasn't. So, he capitulated, though he fully enjoyed showering with her. It was their first time, and he made a point of washing her, which obviously made her laugh and call him a caveman.

Five minutes later, they were clean and putting their clothes back on. Christian was feeling more than satiated, he was feeling relaxed. All the tension of the morning and the past weeks was gone. As he was tying his tie, he glanced at Ana reapplying makeup on her face. Well … lipstick, mascara and eyeliner. He truly hoped that this was something Grace would pick up from her mother, keeping it lowkey and yet elegant.

Room service arrived as she was brushing her hair, and he tipped the guy, making sure that there was enough for both.

"Taylor is waiting for us downstairs. We can eat in the car."

"Okay. Let me just grab my purse. How do I look? Professional?"

He smiled and they left the room as if they didn't just share a passionate and intense moment there. In the elevator, he glanced at her again and wrapped his hand around her waist when a couple of other patrons entered. He leaned to kiss her neck on that special spot, and she tried to repress her giggle. Yes, this was definitely an erogenous place for her.

"I hope no one will know what happened," she said anxiously as they walked to the car.

"That's going to be hard to hide."

"You said I looked professional!"

He smiled, signalling Taylor to go on before he gave Ana her sandwich and traced the hickey he had left on her neck. "Sorry, I got carried away."

She looked through her purse and produced a mirror, before blushing as she saw the proof of their lovemaking. And though he knew she was embarrassed, Christian felt very smug about it. Everyone would be able to tell she was his.

He watched her fuss with her hair that she had so meticulously styled earlier, and make a low Dutch braid, hanging on the side which was supposed to hide the hickey. He smirked, biting on his sandwich, "Yeah, changing your hairdo is not conspicuous at all."

She playfully glared at him, and when she bit in her own sandwich, he leaned over and told her, "You can leave marks on me anytime, I promise I won't mind. I'll actually wear them with pride."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course you will, but that's because you're a caveman."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The two days in London passed in a blur. Before Christian knew it, it was already the eve of their trip to Macau, which Raymond was very excited about. Although Raymond wasn't really needed for it, as it was just a couple of contracts for new hires, but since he was coming to London, why not make the whole trip?

It was Tuesday evening, and Christian had his traditional dinner with Lord Windsor to seal their deal. He had tried to get Ana to come with him, but she had declined so she could do some nightly sightseeing with Grace and Jamie. He was a bit annoyed with that, especially when the lord teased him about it, reminding him that his relationship with the brunette was no longer a secret.

After all, to the world, Christian had kept Grace and Ana a secret to give Grace a somewhat normal childhood. And Lord Windsor had believed the lie like the rest of them. He had been even admitted being a little hurt that Christian never mentioned anything over the years, even though he often came to London. Though he admitted remembering that Christian was always in a bad mood when he came to London, and now he understood that it was because he would have liked to be spending time with his girls, rather than talking shop.

Christian got back to the hotel shortly after one in the morning, and he found Ana working on her laptop at the table that gave a view over Hyde Park. He undid his tie, silently walking to her and leaving it hanging around his neck.

"I thought you'd be sleeping," he told her, putting his hands on her shoulders to massage her. She briefly shivered at the cold of his hands but relaxed into his touch.

"No. I just wanted to wrap this up before bed," she said, closing the laptop and removing her glasses.

He only saw her wearing glasses whilst working at night, but he quite liked the effect it had on her. It gave her that look of naughty secretary.

For a little while, neither of them said a word as he kneaded her shoulders, relaxing her as best he could. She had her eyes closed, humming in pleasure when he would hit a certain nerve, and finally, he said, "You know, I kind of missed your old jammies. Why did you ditch the softness of satin?"

She was wearing an old baggy shirt with some rock band on the front. She shrugged and reminded him, "Mostly, practicality. Nursing a baby in satin isn't as glamorous as you'd think. And there's also the fact that the rare few I didn't ruin with milk, my boobs don't fit in anymore."

"But you're not nursing anymore."

"Yeah, but I have a growing kid, now. It was the nice lingerie or the food in her stomach."

Christian gathered her hair to the side, so he could have access to her neck, and he leaned to kiss her as he reminded her, "What about me?"

He got on his knees behind her, his hands leaving her shoulders to travel down her arms as she snickered, "You can wear silk gowns if you want. I can't wait to see that."

He repressed a growl of annoyance, his lips still fluttering on the skin of her neck, "I mean, I'm here now. I can buy you nightwear and put food on the table."

She didn't say anything, but he knew she had just rolled her eyes. Ana _loved_ to roll her eyes as soon as he talked about spending money on her. He wondered if it was because of his wealth, or if she had been so difficult with her previous boyfriends as well.

He kept kissing her neck, mostly because he knew that what he was about to tell her would probably cause her to bicker, and he was doing the best he could to put her in a good mood.

"In fact, I could buy you so much more than simple nightwear."

On those words, he took the envelope out of his inner pocket and put it on the table for her to open, though he quickly resumed his activity of kissing her sensitive spot, in the hope to soften the blow.

Ana opened the envelope, and she saw pictures of an apartment in Knightsbridge, with a view of Hyde Park. It was something rather cosy, a six-bedroom apartment with a balcony, just under 7000 sq. ft. He felt Ana's heartbeat quicken, and so he wrapped his arms around her as she asked, "What is — "

"Nothing is set in stone, yet. But I have put an offer on it. We'll visit it tomorrow morning just before take-off. And if Grace and you like it … well …"

"Christian," she said with a condescending voice. "It's £35 million."

"No, it's a place for when we come back."

"When we come back?" She echoed, not understanding. He hid his face in her hair, shrugging as he inhaled the strong smell of coconut and he told her "Grace clearly likes it here. So, we're bound to come back every once in a while."

Ana shook her head, incredulous. "You're not buying a £35 million apartment for a child! That's _insane_! Even for you."

"No, I'm buying _us_ a place to stay whenever we visit. So, we can have somewhere to call _home_, as a _family_."

As he had expected, she had nothing to retort to that. Every time he had used the family card, Ana had remained speechless. But he knew that this was the easy part. Now came the part where she would be difficult like she always was when he did the littlest thing for her. "When I buy the apartment tomorrow, I want to put _your_ name on the deed."

"Christian …"

"You're the one who said no new wardrobe," he argued teasingly, and he heard her sigh. He was sure that she rolled her eyes once again.

"So, you decided to buy a £35 million apartment? Of course, it's completely logical."

"It's no big deal."

"Gerald Thomas is definitely going to advise you against this ridiculous notion."

"Who gives a fuck about Thomas? Why is he even mentioned in this conversation?"

"He's your lawyer," she reasoned, and he deeply inhaled through his nose to contain his frustration.

"Who - cares? Last time I checked, I'm with you, not him."

"As a lawyer, _I'm_ advising you against that ridiculous notion."

"And as my girlfriend?" He asked and when she didn't answer immediately, he shifted so he could turn the chair and she could face him. He was still on his knees, but since he was a tall man, there was not much of a height difference between them. He lifted her chin, waving for the answer, and so she said with an apologetic tone, "I think you're trying to overcompensate."

He thought about it for a moment, ignoring the blow to his ego. He knew she didn't mean it sexually; they might not have sex as often as they wished, but he always made damn sure she was left amply satisfied. But of course, his first thoughts were that she was downplaying his sexuality. If she knew, she would call him a caveman.

But she was right, he was trying to make up for all that he had missed. Both with Grace and her. The things he was still missing, like the evening they spent in the streets of London whilst he was still working. And though he knew she could have complained more than once, Ana never said a word, nor tried to make him feel guilty. On the contrary.

"Shouldn't I?" He asked, already anticipating the hard truth that was bound to come.

Ana gently smiled, something sweet, empathic and genuine. She soothingly caressed his cheek and kissed him, before assuring him, "I am so sorry Christian that you missed so much of Grace's life. I know it hurts, and I know it leaves empty moments that you'll never be able to fill. But … you don't have to buy her things to make it up to her.

I can promise you she doesn't care. All she talked about this evening was how happy she was to be here with you. Even if it was just for breakfast, even if you're busy. She is over the moon that we all live together, and the only way you make her even happier is when you take her in your arms to kiss her or hug her. Your presence is enough for her."

He smiled, grateful for those reassuring words about the worries he never dared admit to himself. That certainly wasn't going to stop him from spending money on Grace, especially since she liked shopping. But he felt less guilty concerning her. Still …

"What about you?" She frowned, not understanding what he meant. "When are you going to forgive me?"

Her frown deepened, and her eyes briefly showed sadness, before she put on her poker face, which annoyed Christian. He had never been able to read Ana when she was so neutral.

"You think I'm … _angry at you_?"

"Aren't you?" He scoffed.

"About what?" She sounded insulted that he would think that of her.

"The list is long. I didn't listen when you called me. I didn't open the letter you sent. I didn't make you feel appreciated when I should have. I am never patient when it comes to us, and always want things done my way. I…" He stopped himself, not sure if he should add to his list of grievances the kids' factor. He didn't want to admit out loud that she had given up her dream of a big family for him, it sounded cruel.

He looked her in the eyes, seeing her mask crumble down, but not liking what he saw she was trying to hide. Hurt. She quickly looked down, as soon as she realised he could read her face, and she let him know, "I _was_ hurt, not angry. _Was_. Maybe I was a little resentful too, but … that was mostly at myself. I … I wasn't myself with you, and then, I resented you for not seeing who I was. But that was my fault. But …"

She looked back up, her eyes shining with so many emotions, but mainly one prevailed, sincerity, "You have to understand, Christian, I have already lived through a relationship where _I_ put _myself_ second. And I swore to myself that I wouldn't do it ever again. I won't make that mistake again. So, me trying this with you is … selfish. It's me putting what I want first. And … I want you.

I'm sorry if I made you feel like I did it out of obligation, or that I am not in it for the long haul."

He nodded, doing his best not to grin as she gave her explanation. Still, since they were having a heart to heart, he asked the heavy question that had been weighing on his conscience.

"So, there's nothing you resent me for, now?"

"Nope. I tease when you spoil Grace, but I know you mean well and you're just terrible at saying no. Let's hope she never asks for the moon."

He chuckled, though his heart wasn't really in it. "What about the fact that …" He cleared his throat. "You used to talk about becoming a 'catholic rabbit' …"

She shook her head. "I did. And then, I realised that not everyone is meant to be a parent. And … I don't want to put Grace through that. I was a mess after her birth, and no child should see their parents like that."

"So … it's not just because of me?" He clarified though he didn't like what he was reading between the lines. Ana was still convinced that she wasn't a good mother. Maybe he needed to talk to his mom again to find a way to convince Ana that she was an amazing mother.

She smiled, jovially shaking her head, "Nope, it's not just about you. So, you don't need to buy that ridiculously expensive apartment. You have nothing to feel guilty about."

He scoffed, "Nice try. If Grace likes it, I'll buy it. But it doesn't change a thing. I'll give it as a gift. To you."

"Christian …"

"Nah-ha. You promised, remember? On my birthday, you promised to accept whatever gift I would get you, and not moan about it."

"I should have put an expiry date on that promise. I feel that you've abused that power a bit recently," she grumbled, not pleased.

He grinned, unashamed. "Yeah, for a lawyer, you weren't particularly sharp on that one."

"You don't have to be smug about it."

"It's not every day I get to fuck a lawyer over."

She chuckled at his choice of words, and how the situation could be applied figuratively and physically. He kissed her, before losing his nose in her hair, loving that coconut smell. It was always so … delicious.

"I missed you at dinner," he confessed, enveloping her in a hug. This could have been their first official outing since he made the statement. The first time he would present her as Anastasia Steele, his girlfriend. But she had preferred to spend the evening with Jamie, doing things that she had already done in the past.

"I'm sorry. I just …" He waited for her to finish her thoughts, not moving one inch, even though his knees were starting to ache from being on the floor too long. "It's not really my scene."

"But it's _my_ scene. I don't want to keep you hidden in my apartment like some dirty little secret. I never wanted that. I want the world to see you by my side, on my arm, knowing that you're mine."

"Caveman," she teased, and he finally moved to look at her, sitting on his calves to restore some circulation in his legs.

"You know what I mean."

"So … you want me to do what I did then?"

"_No_!" And now he understood why she didn't want to come. It was too much of an echo to when she was under the contract. Sure, he already had a business dinner with her, but they weren't official then, and he just presented her as Anastasia Steele, with no affiliation to him.

"No. I want you to be my girlfriend. My real girlfriend. And those are important moments to me. I want to share them with you."

"What about my important moments? Would you volunteer for a charity with me if I asked you to?"

He hesitated. He had no issue donating money to whichever charity she would want. But _time_… His time was precious. He barely had time for Grace, let alone for a charity.

"Whatever it takes to get you to accompany me next time I ask," he deflected, not committing himself.

Ana frowned, shaking her head in displeasure. "No. That sounds like I'm blackmailing you. I'll come with you; you don't have to promise anything. _However_, I would appreciate something from you. Not as a compensation, but as a … boyfriend."

He grinned, saying in a triumphant and holy singsong, "_Finally_, she's asking for something. I'm all ears."

"A date?"

"You want me to take you out on a date?" He repeated, baffled by the simplicity of her request. She could ask for anything, anything in the world, and he would give it to her. And yet she asked for the most obvious thing he could give her.

She sheepishly nodded, and he got up, taking her hand in his to direct them to bed as he told her, "I'll get on it. I'll call Andrea tomorrow so she can give me a date."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The next day, Christian witnessed Grace's first tantrum. Though he wouldn't have qualified it as such. She knew what she wanted, and she made her mind clear about it. She had loved the apartment, though she did make a remark on how big it was, which made Christian slightly curious. He had visited the girls' apartment several times, and it had been small, there was no denying. But he knew they used to live with Ian, and he had a house. So, he wondered how small that house could have been if everything seemed big to Grace. Or maybe it was because she was still little, and she didn't quite see the proportions yet.

Still, after Christian signed the preliminary papers and asked the agency to send everything to his PA so she could do the rest, they went to the airport, to take the jet to Macau. Grace cried the whole way there, saying repeatedly that she didn't want to leave London and that they had a place to live now, so they should stay.

Ana was unmoving toward her tears, calling them caprice and reminding Grace that she was a child and that she didn't make the decisions. But it didn't stop Grace, who cried even harder when her mother refused to take her in her arms as they walked on the runway towards the jet.

Christian picked up Grace, and she hiccupped in his arms, sobbing against his shoulders whilst Ana disapprovingly shook her head.

"I don't want to go, Daddy," she whispered in his ear, her voice still full of tears.

"Don't you like America?"

"_No_! I don't want to go back there, ever. Only bad things happen there."

Christian stopped in his stride, though he indicated the others to keep going. He was surprised by Grace's trail of thoughts, but thinking about it, he could understand. She had gotten sick and ended up in the hospital in the US. She lost her surrogate grandmother there. Her mother slipped and almost died. And even though she had been looking forward to school so much, she didn't like it and hadn't made any friends.

"But you also had good things happening in America, no?" He tried to bargain, but she violently shook her head, still crying. He repositioned her so he could see her face, ignoring Taylor who seemed inconvenienced by his delay. He was not going to put his daughter on the plane until she calmed down.

"What about meeting your Nana and Pops?" This made her tears stop. "And what about Peanut and Gus?" She nodded sadly, starting to see the positive of the US. "And Uncle Elliott and your cousins?"

"You're right, Daddy."

He smiled and kissed her cheek as he told her something that would ease her. "You know why I like the US so much better than England?" She shook her head, curious. He wiped away her tears and said, "Because it's where I got to meet you."

And finally, all sadness was gone from her face. She smiled with the brightness of a thousand suns and threw her little arms around his neck. He hugged her back and walked the final distance to board the plane under Taylor's impatient eyes.

Once in the jet, Grace ran to her mother's arms and apologised, not wanting her mother to be mad at her. Ana made sure that the tantrum was over, though she looked suspiciously at Christian, no doubt thinking that he had promised something in exchange for Grace being reasonable.

After take-off, Grace suddenly became restless, asking her mother for a '_you-know-what_' but Christian was only half-listening, revising with Jamie the ways Macau was different from the US.

"Actually, Macau is even different from the rest of China. Not like Hong Kong, but not like Vegas either. In fact, don't even try to compare them. Macau is much more lucrative, independent and — "

He stopped himself. Grace was standing in front of them with a big smile and her hands behind her back. Christian glanced at Ana and Raymond, but Raymond was nowhere to be seen, probably in the bathroom, and Ana had dozed off. Not that he could blame her, given that she had barely slept whilst they were in London.

"What is it, sweetie?"

"This is for you," she said, producing a wrapped parcel from behind her back, her smile still as bright.

Christian smiled back, though he kept for himself that he would have rather not have Jamie here to witness this father-daughter moment. It was something private, a family moment, and no matter how Ana felt about the man, he still saw Jamie more as an apprentice than part of his or Grace's family.

With a small inspiration, he put the papers down and lifted Grace onto his lap. She excitedly watched him unwrap the paper, and he couldn't help but realise that Ana had been right. Grace had associated Christian travelling with presents.

In all honesty, if Ana hadn't put a veto on it, he would have bought Grace many souvenirs of their time in London. But Ana had claimed it was unnecessary. She said that they would buy a few trinkets whilst visiting the city by night, and that was it. And obviously, Ana being Ana, she had refused to take the black card he had for her.

When the wrapping paper was finally gone, Christian saw a frame with all the landmarks of London around it, and in the frame, a picture of Grace and Ana, smiling so brightly that they could be posing for a toothpaste commercial, and doing the peace sign. They both had their hair done the same way, starting with a braid on the side that ended in a bun on the same side. Christian had noticed that Grace usually asked her mother to do the same hairdo as she did for herself.

"Do you like it?" She anxiously asked as he kept looking at the picture. He smiled, kissing her cheek as he assured her, "It's beautiful, one of the best gifts I have ever gotten."

She grinned. "It's so you don't forget Mama and me when you are busy."

"I could never forget about you, sweetie," Christian assured, though he knew it wasn't entirely true. If Andrea didn't schedule his day for him, he knew that there was more than one occasion he would have had to apologise.

Jamie seemed to think that this was his cue to leave, _finally_, and he got up to go in the seat next to Ana. Christian saw how she startled awake, her eyes immediately looking for their daughter, and how she scowled when she saw Grace on his lap and the frame on his hands.

She opened her mouth, probably to tell Grace to let him work, but he shook his head. For once, just once, he could delay his work a little. She nodded and turned to Jamie who whispered something that made her laugh.

He returned his attention to Grace, who seemed to have attentively watched the brief and silent exchange between her parents. He smiled at her, looking back at the frame, and Grace got more comfortable on his lap as she asked, "Daddy? Why don't you kiss Mama?"

"What?"

"Do you not like kissing?"

"Of course I do."

"I _never_ see you kiss Mama," she accused. "Tio Jose and Uncle Karl kiss all the time. Do you have to be married to kiss?"

Christian swiftly glanced at Ana, wishing she was there with him, instead of talking to Jamie and Raymond. This was not the kind of conversation he was prepared for.

"I do kiss your mother. Maybe you're just not looking. And … you have seen us kiss a few times."

She frowned but shook her head, "But it's not a lot. Is it because you have to get married like Tio Jose to kiss a lot?"

"No. You don't need to be married to kiss … I … I don't know, Grace. But I do love your mother, and she knows it, and I do kiss her."

Once again, Grace frowned, her brain working its gear, like every time she was trying to figure out something. Christian loved seeing that little expression on her face.

"Is it … like love?"

"What?"

"Mama said that love is … you can't touch it. And you can't show it. You must be made to feel it. Like when she sings me to sleep, or when she makes me my favourite food when I'm sick. So … maybe … you don't kiss Mama because you don't want to show, but to feel?"

Though he smiled, Christian was dumbfounded; how could Ana doubt their daughter's superior intellect when she was having this deep of a conversation? Even adults had problems with that concept, and Grace was there, flaunting her deep understanding of the subtleties of love.

Still, he took note that Grace would clearly not mind some display of affection. He had been rather prudish until now, not sure how she would react. He, himself, never minded when his parents showed their love. Both Elliott and he grew up with parents who did not hide their affection for each other, and now that Grace seemed okay with it, he couldn't help but slightly grin at the carte blanche. Now he could kiss and embrace Ana as much as he wanted, without any restraints.

"Oh, don't worry. Your mother knows exactly how I feel for her. I just never realised that we kissed when you weren't here. But we do kiss all the time, I can promise you. I love your Mom, and I told her, showed her and made her feel it."

Grace nodded, happy with that answer, and as she was about to ask another question, Ana and Jamie burst out in laughter whilst Raymond shook his head. Jamie hid his face in Ana's shoulder, though the roar of his laughter was not diminished, and Grace looked their way, letting her father know, "I like Uncle Jamie. He is nice."

Christian simply nodded, not committing himself in this conversation. Jamie was good at his job. Excellent even. He didn't need to be told twice, and he picked up things quickly. But … Christian had promised Ana to stand by her side, and it wasn't so easy when he felt so unsure of Jamie as a man around his woman.

"Last night, he told me a story about mama and him, when they were little like me."

"Oh?"

"Yes. He said, once, when Mama was eight, they were playing outside, and there was this little tree they used to climb. It was not very big, but still. They always climbed and played on the top, but it was wet that day, and he slipped. So, Mama caught him, and he was screaming at her to not let go because he didn't want to fall and die. And when his hand slipped away, he fell on the ground, but it was only this far away from him."

She put some distance between her hands, and Christian chuckled, picturing a little Ana desperately trying to pull a little Jamie up, though she would ultimately fail, and he would find humiliation at his anguish when realising he was mere inches from the ground.

Grace seemed to think it was hilarious, because she laughed again, before telling her father something else, "You know that Mama invented the song when she was little, with Jamie. It was their goodnight song, but now, it's my goodnight song."

"I didn't know that."

"Yes. And Uncle Jamie, he is a magician, though Mama says it's just tricks."

Christian let her keep talking about the 'magic' Jamie had shown her, but he was thinking back to the lyrics reinvented by Ana. He didn't think much of it when he heard her sing, but now that he knew where it came from, he felt a pang in his heart. This was the song that Ana sang every night, hoping she could run away with Jamie, hoping to leave the tears behind and that there would be smiles and laughs ahead.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

By some trick involving her beautiful blue eyes turning into puppy ones, Grace had managed to extract from Christian a promise of spending half the day with her and Ana. Without even being aware of it, she had him wrapped around her little finger, and given Ana's mocking expression, she knew it.

Mr Cho and his wife were waiting for them at the airport, alongside a little boy of seven. As he had expected, Mr Cho fussed around Ana and Grace, telling Ana how happy he was to see her again, and that they needed to play a game so he could rip Christian off once again.

Christian had thought that Ana would be awkward around the Chos, but she was strangely at ease, embracing them like old family friends. In fact, she seemed closer to them than ever. But then again, Mrs Cho and Ana had spent quite some time together.

The little boy was their first grandchild, named Jin. He was spending the week with his grandparents whilst his parents were away on business. For a moment, Christian worried that Grace might be reminded of her struggle of making friends, but that was quickly dismissed as soon as she saw a dragon on the cover of the book the young boy was reading.

This sparked a conversation between them, though they were both struggling. Grace knew just a few words of Cantonese and it seemed that Jin knew just as much of English. But that didn't stop them from making some sort of conversation, talking about dragons.

In fact, they spent the whole day together, teaching each other some words in their own languages, and at the end of the day Grace announced that she needed to learn Cantonese "ASAP". This made Ana laugh quite a bit as she said that Christian was starting to rub off on their little girl. But both parents were happy to see that Grace was finally bonding with someone her age (or almost).

It had been a long day, and an early night, though he didn't see it coming. He fell asleep in his bed talking to Ana as she was still in the bathroom. But it didn't surprise him much. He was used to usually sleeping either on the plane, or as soon as he would get to the hotel room, and he had messed up his pattern this week due to the girls.

Still, he woke up thirsty in the middle of the night, his inconvenience replaced instantly by worry when he found the bed next to him empty and cold. The lights were out, and the door was closed. He called out for Ana and when there was no response, he checked their en suite bathroom, but she was nowhere to be seen.

He went in the living room, his phone in his hand, about to call Taylor when he saw her looking at the city through the window. He put his phone down, walking to her and hugging her from behind, admiring the view with her. This was how it should have happened. This was how he had envisioned it all those years ago.

When he had partnered with Mr Cho, he had never planned to claim a room in their hotel. But then, Ana came in the picture, and he always pictured them just like that. Her in his arms as they would look at the skyline. It wasn't the most luxurious suite, but it was the best view. And he had put a veto on it.

This was where he had wanted to have Ana when he proposed to fly her to Macau. He wanted to have her there, in his arms, looking at the city from the hotel he built from the ground up. Every time he came back to Macau, he had thought of her even more. Even though she never came with him to this city, this was the place where the memory of her affected him the most. And for one simple reason.

"This is where I saw us having our honeymoon if I had proposed, back then," he confessed, kissing her shoulders with love.

Ana chortled, shaking her head as if he had said something ludicrous, and when he stiffened behind her, she asked, "Oh, you were serious?"

"Yes." He looked at the skyline, holding her a bit tighter. "If all had gone well, I would have told you about my plans of marrying you when you would have called. I know I stayed away for a month, but I would have come back with a ring as beautiful and rare as you and proposed then. We would have gotten married a few months later, nothing big. Just a quiet reception. And we would have honeymooned here, just as the hotel opened. It would have been perfect."

Ana didn't say a word, her eyes hard on the horizon as Christian kissed her neck, silently pressing her to react somehow. After yet another couple of minutes of silence, he finally asked, "Babe?"

"I would have said no, Christian," she said, rather curtly.

"I know. You said so already." He was rather annoyed that she only lingered on that one detail. He knew that already, but she could try to give him her thoughts on the rest of his speech. Just so he knew what he was working with...

She shook her head and added, "And I never would have agreed to have my _honeymoon_ here."

"Why not? You loved Vegas," He pointed out because this had been a huge factor in his decision process.

"Yeah. To have fun. Not to put the first stone of my marriage …"

There was a small silence during which Christian congratulated himself for not jumping the gun and proposing when he saw her standing by the window. This seemed like the worst possible idea now. But at least, he had put it out in the open that marriage was something possible in the future, and she hadn't point-blank refused.

She sighed a little and turned to kiss him gently before walking away as she said, "Never mind. It's the past, let's not dwell on it."

He agreed, his eyes following her as he noticed that she removed her shoes. He frowned and asked the first question he had in mind when he woke up. "Why are you up?"

"Jet lag."

"Did you go out?"

She rolled her eyes and he paled. It was one thing for her to go out in New York (though he clearly did not approve) but this was a whole other city. She didn't know Macau, she didn't know a single word of Cantonese, she didn't know anyone here. And it was past _four in the freaking morning_. All the drunks were out, crying over their losses. And though he knew he was biased, Ana was still a gorgeous woman. So many things could happen to her that would turn bad.

But of course, Ana, ridiculous as always when it came to her safety, dismissed the whole thing. "You know, you're very overprotective sometimes. I mean, sure, statistically speaking, a woman is more likely to get— "

"_I don't care about statistics_!" He hissed. It was irrational for him to be scared for her like that. She was here, in front of him, well and joking. And he knew what she was about to say, realistically, she was more than likely to be fine. More than him. After all, she came from the streets, and she survived them.

But … two images were branded in his brain. The first of a woman with dead eyes. He had been very young, and his mother had taken him to work for...he didn't remember what reason. And this patient of his mother with her dead eyes had marked him. She was a survivor of a sexual assault, but she was dead _inside_.

The second image was Ana's swollen face, lying in a hospital bed after having been attacked by three men. She could say whatever she wanted, she could remind him however she wanted that she had lived in the streets, the truth was, there only needed to be one time, one unlucky time, and the worst could happen to her.

He breathed in heavily, knowing how Ana felt about feeling overprotected. If it wasn't for her trust issues, he'd have someone on her back 24/7. "I just … I just care that you're safe, babe. It's all that matters to me," he said, kissing the top of her head to apologise for his outburst.

She smiled, hugging him as she reassured him, "Well, I was with Jamie, and no one is going to try and pick a fight with him."

She chuckled, proud of her joke, and Christian simply kissed her forehead again. The truth was, he liked her having spent time with Jamie just as much as he liked her being alone in a city she didn't know, in the middle of the night. And he noticed that in barely a couple of weeks, even though he worked just as much as Christian, Jamie had still managed to spend a lot of time with Ana.

_Just as they finished their quick lunch on Tuesday, Ana reached for the last cookie at the same time as Jamie. The two of them looked at each other, though Christian thought that Jamie ought to leave the cookie to Ana, as any gentleman would do. _

_"Give it up, Jamie, we both know I'll end up with the cookie," she said with a mocking and triumphant smile. Jamie raised his eyebrow, bulking his muscles (not that he needed to bulk, the man was a walking wardrobe)_

_"In case you didn't notice, unlike you, I grew up. You can't beat me up anymore."_

_"It's all in your head. At the end of the day, you'll pick rock, I'll pick paper, and somehow, I'll end up knocking you silly, teaching you to be nice to ladies such as myself."_

_"Ladies," he snorted. "Ladies don't knock people silly."_

_"And men avoid the humiliation of having a Lilliputian beat them down in front of a crowd."_

_Jamie raised his hand in surrender as Raymond snickered under his breath. Ana took the cookie and ate it victoriously, though she did not do a thing to hide her smugness about it. _

_Christian didn't say a word, pretending to look at his phone to check when Lord Windsor and his lawyer would get back, but it made him feel odd. He just … _

_He felt that ever since the dinner, Jamie was always around. Which wasn't an issue. They were working together. But … Jamie always looked at Ana. No matter what, he always had an eye on Ana, and Christian couldn't help but question the brotherly feelings he had for Ana. _

_He never doubted Jose, even though he had always known that Jose was bisexual, and although there had been rumours about Ana and Jose, he always had known they only saw each other as siblings. But … Jamie … it seemed too abrupt. He had a hard time believing that after all these years of being separated, Jamie was still seeing Ana as a sister, when they had no blood relation, to begin with. _

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** I am so glad I cut that chapter in two distinct chapters, haha. **

💚** So, **

💚**Now question time,**

**1\. Okay, so, do you agree with Christian? Is there something off about Jamie?**

**2\. What did you think of their little intimate moment? And it wasn't planned, in case it wasn't clear. It was in the spur of the moment**

**3\. And what did you think of Grace in this chapter? Her tantrum, and her kissing obsession? Her little gift? And she got a friend, though they don't understand each other XD**

**4\. And they had many hearts to hearts. What did you think of those two important conversations? And do you agree with Ana on the honeymoon thing? And now, it's clear and open, Ana doesn't resent Christian in the slightest, and she is in for the long haul. AND, there is something important in the way she expressed her feelings on the kid issue.**

**5\. And what did you think of the song? What do you think it means to Ana? **

**6\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? Mine was when Christian looked deep in Ana's eyes and felt all the love she had for him. **

**7\. And what do you think will happen next?**

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	22. Chapter 20: Fiery Lily, Topaz, Fireball

**My dear little broccolis💚💚💚**

**💚 So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

💚** Also, i****f you want pictures of the story, just check out my Facebook group, Mina's Broccolis, and you will find pictures as the story unveils. And a few sneak-peeks here and there as well.**

**‼️ABOUT THE REVIEWS‼️**

**1/ So about Jamie, a few of you have caught on the fact that we can't be really sure because we see things through Christian's eyes, and he has this tendency to be obnoxiously jealous. But he does spend a lot of his free time with Ana. And he does look at her a lot, though I never said that he looked longingly. He just always has an eye on her. **

**2/ A few of you caught up on the underlying issue of kids for Ana, and I think only one caught on Christian's feelings regarding her confession. **

**3/ And Christian definitely hasn't been the most caveman he can be. It is definitely coming. Just remember that Ana said something when several times over at the beginning of this story, and Christian never contradicted her. She knows her place, sort of speak...**

**‼️DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW‼️**

💚** Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy **💚

**Chapter 20: Fiery Lily, Topaz, Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey(10,0K)**

**So, this title is due to Thanksgiving. All related. Of sorts. Fiery Lilies are often used in floral arrangement for that period of time. Topaz is an orange gemstone and we associate that colour for this holiday. And the whiskey is because of the cinnamon, which is often added in the sweet recipes of Thanksgiving. **

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Christian was in a terrible mood. It had been ten days since they came back to the US and it seemed that things were going from terrible to atrocious. Ros had to let Theo go, as he just couldn't pick up his tasks, though she had been far more lenient than Christian would have ever been. She found the young man a spot in the company, with fewer responsibilities. Christian would have probably just sacked him.

He did have someone in mind to replace the impractical graduate, someone to whom he owed a favour, but the person was still too young. Now, Ros was doing the work on her own, and so he doubled his trips to Seattle, though he tried to keep them as short as possible.

There was also the board, whose members were getting on his nerves and making him regret ever having thought of bringing on those useless, bloodsucking parasites. Ever since he had given them a bit more control, he had to run everything that was related to GEH by them, and he couldn't stand it anymore.

He had to admit that Jamie was helping with that, though it didn't mean that Christian had to like it. Jamie seemed to be ever so present in his life now. He wished that the man would just be as inefficient as Theo, so he would have a good excuse to fire him, without getting on Ana's bad side.

But Jamie was … _perfect_. And even worse, he was a perfect human being. Even though both he and Christian were working around the clock, Jamie still managed to spend some alone time with Ana. _Daily_. Ana had gotten back to her habit of running (and Christian had insisted that Swayer run with her, especially since she ran way before sunrise), and of course, Jamie jogged with her every morning. _Of course, _he did.

Never had Christian regretted giving his word about something. But he wished he hadn't promised Ana to be supportive about this and by her side. Because now, he couldn't even rant to her about his frustrations over Jamie. He was sure that his feelings towards Ana were way more than brotherly.

Jamie's ears always perked up when someone would talk about Ana, and when he would see Ana, his eyes were always on her. And…Christian simply didn't like the amount of attention the man gave Ana and the way she seemed to appreciate every single moment he was spending with her small family. Especially given the fact that they shared a past that bonded them in a way Christian would never be able to understand or relate to.

And of course, as if Ana wasn't enough, Grace _loved_ her "Uncle" Jamie. She even adored him. And Ana didn't bicker when he would bring their daughter little sweets and treats. Though at least, Grace made a point of keeping her bedtime routine for Christian. Of course, since his workload had almost doubled since their return to the US, Christian had missed every single night of it, but Ana always patiently called him, so he could wish Grace goodnight.

Though now, his bedtime calls had been shortened so Grace could call Jin in Hong Kong. By the time they left Macau, Jin was supposed to go back to his parents in Hong Kong, and the two kids had decided that they needed to stay in contact.

Of course, because of the time difference, it was hard, but they would Skype each other almost every night, though Grace didn't share with her father what she would talk daily about with Jin. Not that Christian really cared. They could talk about the best way to eat broccoli for all he cared. Not only was Grace quickly improving her Cantonese (which was a bit of a downer since Christian spoke Mandarin), but most importantly, she had a friend.

Sure, Jin was a bit older than her and lived across the globe, but it seemed that neither kid minded either of those snags. They didn't even seem to mind the gender difference. Ana told him that either she or Jin's mother usually had to cut their Skype conversations short, but just like Christian, she was happy that Grace had made a friend.

And a small ray of sun, Ana even said that she wouldn't mind going back to Asia as a family and trying some more extreme sports with Christian. When Christian had spent half a day with the girls, per Grace's request, Ana had taken him to the Macau Tower, so they could partake in the highest bungee jump in the world.

Grace had stayed with Jamie and the Chos, enjoying ice cream at the foot of the building and watching her parents jump, and Ana had had a huge grin for the rest of the day. Of course, Ana being Ana had to twist it, saying it was a thank you for the apartment in London, and he couldn't hide the fact that he had absolutely loved it.

But of course, because there was no sun without a cloud glooming somewhere, this had been captured by paparazzi. He couldn't do much about that, especially since the magazines always took care of hiding Grace's face. But they had snapped pictures of the girls both in London and Macau, though Jamie had also starred in the London pictures since Christian didn't go out with the girls.

Ana had assured Christian that she didn't mind and that it was to be expected, but it annoyed him, nonetheless. He was in such a bad mood that the smallest things brought his anger out.

He usually came home far past midnight, and Ana always waited for him, even if it was to simply kiss him goodnight before she would crash in bed. And of course, that was just another frustration. Living with a woman as sexy as Ana, whom he loved, nonetheless, and not being able to make love to her was just...irritating.

She had called Jose to look after Grace and give them some grownup time, but that did not go as planned. It was just an awful ten days.

_"So… I had to reschedule Jose for some other time," Ana told him as she put in front of him a plate of steamed veggies with rice and salmon._

_It was shortly after midnight, and she sat next to him, though he could tell that she was tired. Her laptop and papers were splattered in front of her, but she had stopped working when he came in. He did try to convince her to use his office, but she had refused, claiming that she didn't mind working in the kitchen. But that was ridiculous to Christian, and he made sure to tell Andrea to contact a contractor so Ana would have her own office in Seattle._

_He took the wedge of lemon and squeezed the juice on the salmon, his eyes solely on Ana as he asked, "Why?"_

_He had been looking forward to __Saturday night__ all week long, and now, Ana was postponing it. She shrugged, gathering her papers as she explained with an annoyed pout, "My monthly friend decided to crash the party early this month."_

_Christian repressed a sigh of annoyance. Of all the rotten luck. But then again, this was not something new to him…"I don't mind."_

_She stopped her motions and looked deep in his eyes, clearly surprised by his statement. "Well, I do."_

_"But isn't sex supposed to help with the pain and all?" He countered because though Ana always did her best to hide it in the past, he knew that her period cramps could be quite hard on her._

_"I don't know. I've never tried," she shrugged, and he briefly kissed her cheek,_

_"There's always a first time for everything."_

_She wrinkled her nose and shook her head, "I don't want to try. I mean…I really appreciate that you're so open about it and that you're not being like most men would be in this situation. 'Ew gross, don't talk about periods'. But…it's not for me. I guess I'm the one who's grossed out."_

_She shivered slightly, and Christian replayed the conversation they just had, seeing how he might have come off as pushy. He shook his head and lovingly kissed her neck before returning to his food. "I'm sorry babe. I didn't mean to sound like a horndog, and I'm not here to pressure you into it. I just…well, you know where I stand if you want to try."_

_She grinned, getting up with all her papers and her laptop. She kissed his lips, before frowning slightly and wiping the corner of his mouth before she teased, "No pressure felt. But you are a horndog, just the way I like it."_

Christian was fully aware that the only reason he was so open, as she pointed out, was because of his mother. Grace Grey had made a point in raising both her boys so that periods, and the female body in general, would never be taboo. She was often considered as progressive amongst her group of friends, but Christian had always been grateful for it.

He never had to feel awkward when his girlfriends of the past had their periods, and though it never occurred, he knew that he wouldn't feel ashamed to go buy tampons. In fact, it was one of the things his mother made both Elliott and he do when they were teens.

Though he knew he would never have to worry about it with Ana. Ana was just like his Mom, progressive. _New Age _as some people would say. She was into diva cups. He had seen the thing in their bathroom, and to Christian, this seemed…well, more uncomfortable than a tampon (which already looked unpleasant), but Ana never complained about it.

But the day that followed their conversation, Christian applied everything he had seen his father do for his mother. He had Andrea send chocolate to Ana, as well as scented candles, and some bath salts. When he came back that night, he warmed up a heat pouch and gave it to her as she was already in bed, so grateful for his thoughtfulness.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

As the day dragged on, Christian's mood worsened. He had meeting after meeting, until lunchtime around 2 pm. Andrea informed him of a meeting over lunch that he had arranged months ago, with AS Holdings. He couldn't remember setting up the meeting or even ever meeting anyone from that company, but he usually didn't pay attention to small companies that didn't spike his interest. He assumed that they were coming to him for a pitch, so he would consider investing in them.

He was hoping to let Jamie handle this meeting on his own, just so he could close his eyes and pretend he was listening to whatever AS Holdings had to say, but Jamie finally made his first mistake.

"I'll see you after lunch," He said, gathering his papers. Christian eyed him before reminding him, "It's a lunch meeting. Andrea will get us food."

"I just have somewhere to be. I can't postpone it."

Christian stared at the man as he took his papers and left, and though he was annoyed, a part of him rejoiced. After all, if Jamie was slacking, Ana couldn't fault Christian for sacking him. If she wanted to keep personal and professional as separate as possible, she couldn't ask him to keep Jamie if Jamie wasn't doing his job.

But instead of lifting his bad mood, it just added fuel to the fire because that meant he would have to give all his attention to the meeting. With an annoyed sigh, Christian gathered his papers, surprised that Andrea didn't give him a folder with all he needed to know about AS Holdings. He never asked her to do that, but she always did; no matter the company, big or small, new or old, she would have a folder ready for him to refresh his memory.

This was yet another thing to be angry about. He just couldn't wait for the day to be over; he would go to the gym in his building and let off some steam there.

He heard the door open and close, and he looked up with half a mind to let the AS Holdings representative know that it wasn't the best day for them to meet, but he was met with Ana smiling brightly at him. He smiled back, before grimacing and getting up to at least give her a kiss as he explained,

"Hey, babe. If you've come to kidnap me for lunch, it's not a good day. I am swamped. I have this meeting coming up, soon."

"I know," she said simply, removing her warm coat and revealing…nothing but lingerie and stockings.

Christian stared, remembering very clearly that Ana wore a pencil skirt with a matching jacket to work in the morning. He knew that very well because it was his favourite skirt, the one that embraced all the curves of her ass perfectly. But he was clearly not displeased by this change of wardrobe.

"Ana Steele Holdings needs to discuss a merger with GEH."

He swallowed thickly, not capable of looking away from her, and loving where this conversation was going. If he was honest with himself, this had been a fantasy of his for quite a while. To take Ana in his office, on top of the world.

"How long is this meeting going to last?" He asked after clearing his throat.

"Half an hour," she said with a smirk, putting her coat down. She made a move to remove her heels, but he stopped her, shaking his head before going back to his desk.

He checked the time: 2:05 pm, and he buzzed Andrea, his eyes still on Ana as she moved closer to him.

"Andrea?"

"Yes, Mr Grey?" She answered, and just by the tone of her voice, he knew she was in on it. In fact, he wondered if Ana had also told Jamie and that was why the man left so abruptly. After all, it didn't fit his work ethic to bail last second.

"When is my next meeting?"

"Quarter past three."

"Good. Make sure that it stays that way. No one comes up."

"Yes, Mr Grey."

"And Andrea … go take a break."

Christian didn't even care about the knowing tone of his PA, his senses all focused on Ana. She was at his eye level, hands wrapped around his neck, but what she said did not match the mood she had set.

"You should really give Andrea a nice fat raise."

"I'm not going to talk about my PA when you're dressed like that. I don't give a shit about her right now."

She rolled her eyes and he removed his jacket. He then took her face in his hands, his eyes flickering to her hair, and she removed the sticks that were holding it together.

"You're incredible, you know that," he said before kissing her.

She did not hold back, colliding her body against his and grinding against him as she opened her mouth. Christian slipped his tongue between her lips, battling for power, his hand fisted in the mane of her hair whilst her own hand was busy undoing his buckle.

His hands moved to her bra, all lace supporting her generous cleavage, and he frowned when he felt something that wasn't her soft skin or the lacy lingerie. He broke the kiss and saw that she had stuck a condom in her bra on the right side.

She smirked, and swiftly got on her knees, pulling his boxers and trousers down in one swift motion. He did not even try to hold back the groan of pleasure when she took him in her mouth, jerking his head back as he gripped his desk with one hand, and tangled the fingers of his other hand in her hair.

He loved it when Ana sucked on him. It was…always such a pleasure. To be buried deep in her mouth, to see her bob up and down, and choke occasionally because he was far from small, to feel her moan on his cock, showing that she liked it just as much. And most of all, to see the love shine in her eyes.

He leaned against his desk, slightly putting pressure on her head to ask to take over, and when she let him, he took control of the rhythm, making him moan and pant and curse as she brought him more and more pleasure.

Brusquely, he stopped her and yanked her up, kissing her savagely as his brain thought of how he would take her. He had fantasised so many times about that moment that he knew he wouldn't be able to get it all at once.

He glanced at the desk, the most obvious position and Ana smirked at him, reading him as if he was an open book. "Admit it, you've already thought of fucking me on that desk."

On…under…against…"You have no idea. But today…I want to fuck you with a view."

This calmed Ana's ardour. She glanced at the bay window. There was no chance that anyone would see them, they were on the top floor, and the windows were tinted, because of the sun.

He kissed her neck, playing with her clit (which was oh-so-wet) as he pitched his idea."No one will see you, babe. I'd never take that risk."

"You sure? It's not cleaning day or something?" She insisted, moaning under his ministrations.

He chuckled, nibbling her earlobe as he reminded her, "Yes, I'm sure. I'd never risk anyone seeing you like that. I'm far too selfish. I just want to fuck my beautiful girl with a beautiful view."

Ana straightened up, looking deep in his eyes, before she walked to the bay window, still glancing around to make sure, and she leaned in, putting her hands on the window. Christian grinned, rolling the condom on before he went to her, and flipped her, making her jump in his arms as he impaled himself in her.

"Though your ass is a marvellous sight, your face is far much more beautiful to me."

"Christian…" She gasped, all her limbs wrapped around him. He pounded her into the window and when he thrust a bit harder, touching her G-spot, she closed her eyes to enjoy the pleasure.

"Look at me, babe," He grunted. "Look at me as I make you mine."

"Yes. I'm yours."

This set him wild. It was the first time she was saying so whilst being intimate, and if he had ever thought of making it sweeter, it was far gone. He was just an animal, claiming the love of his life.

"Say it again."

"I'm yours, Christian. Only yours!" She squeaked before crashing her lips onto his, her inner walls clamping him so much that he couldn't doubt her orgasm coming up.

He redoubled his efforts and she gasped again, feeling her climax coming. "Christian…"

"Yes, babe. Let it come to you."

She shook her head, trying to hold it off, which only made him try even harder, "Christian…please…I want you…"

"I'm here, babe."

"Come with me."

And he did. Pinning her against the glass window so hard that he feared for a moment it would not hold. He came with her as hard as he ever did, grunting his orgasm in her hair.

It took him quite a while to recover, and even longer to come back to Earth. It was only when Ana moved uncomfortably in his arms that he stepped away, taking her with him as his skin stuck slightly to the window due to the sweat.

Still, as soon as they were both on their feet, he kissed her sweetly and with love. "What time do you have to be back at work?" He asked, wondering if they could go for round two on his desk.

"3 pm." He glanced at his watch and grimaced when he saw that he only had fifteen minutes. He would love to make a run for it, but Ana was too pragmatic. She would argue that she needed to get dressed and to drive back to her office.

"Some other time," he whispered, mostly to himself, but the grin she gave him told him that she quite agreed with that idea. He traced her face, and lightly said, "I have a shower if you want."

"Of course you do." She rolled her eyes, but still followed him to the bathroom attached to his office.

Their shower was swift since they didn't have much time, but as the water hit his skin, he found himself wondering why Ana and he never shared a shower at home. Even if they didn't have sex, it was still a moment when they could be together, in their own bubble without being someone's boss or parent.

He vowed to himself that he would pitch the idea to Ana, though he knew exactly how to angle it. Living with Ana daily allowed him to notice one thing he never noticed about her before, she was eco-friendly. She composted, recycled, she banned plastic bags as much as she could, she only bought organic food and she tried to be as sustainable as possible. She was one step away from being a veggie, he could put his hand to the test.

"I was serious about Andrea. She should really get a raise," she called out as they were patting themselves dry. Ana looked at herself in the mirror, probably inspecting any hickey he could have left.

He kissed her shoulder and walked back to his office with only his towel around him. He grabbed her lingerie and gave it to her as he argued, "She's just doing her job, babe."

"And a job well done doesn't deserve a raise?" She challenged, putting her clothes on.

"No. It deserves good pay, which she already has."

"Are you really going to be stingy? Mr I-buy-£-35-million-apartments-on-a-whim?"

He chuckled, buttoning his shirt. "You're never going to let that go, are you?"

"Nope. Especially when you argue about giving a raise to someone who deserves it. Just the fact that she works for you makes her entitled to it. Admit it, any other PA, and you'd be a mess. And… life would be much harder for all of us."

Christian watched as Ana rearranged her hair the same way it had been when she came in, and he had to admit, any other PA wouldn't do. Andrea was at his disposal, wherever he was in the world, and she always anticipated his needs. He never told her about the bedtime schedules, but she did it. He never told her about the reminder folder for a meeting, but she did it. And he had dragged her across the country.

"You're right, babe."

She smiled brightly, kissing him, though she warned, "Don't be a Scrooge. Give her a real raise, and a big fat bonus as well. Andrea makes me sleep safe and sound."

This certainly made him think about it. Though he didn't like the idea that Ana thought he was stingy, he liked it even less than this was how he projected himself. He always thought of himself as generous, and since he knew he paid Andrea more than what the average PA got, he hadn't put any more thought into it.

But more than that, Andrea seemed to be a security blanket to Ana. Ana knew that Christian wouldn't forget about the girls as long as Andrea was around, and though it was sad to admit, it was true.

Ana walked back into his office, and Christian looked at her ass swaying, frowning when she picked up her coat and tote bag. Now that his lust was gone, his brain was working again.

"Did you…you were in a suit this morning…"

She smirked, before taking said suit from her bag. He sighed, realising that he had been ridiculous. No matter how gorgeous she was, Ana had never been the kind of girl to expose more skin than necessary. Even in Vegas, she had kept it lowkey, even though it was expected in Sin City to wear very little.

"Somehow, I felt that I would get a better reaction from you if my coat opened to lingerie, rather than a suit."

"Somehow, I think you're right. Speaking of…that's new."

She grinned. "You like it?" Of course, as she was saying so, she was wiggling into her clothes. That didn't stop him from growling,

"Do I have to show you again how much I liked it?"

She gave him that happy smile he had always loved, that smile that made him feel like he was the king of the world, that smile he would fight to the death to keep on her lips, and lightly said,

"Next time, we should shop together."

"So you can buy the whole store?" She rolled her eyes and since she was all dressed, he walked to her, taking her coat and bag in his hands as he walked her out of his office.

"No. I promise I'll behave. I just know what I'd like to see on you."

She thought about it as he called for the elevator, and his heart was beating with the hope that, _for once_, Ana would be reasonable and let him spoil her. But then she countered, "You know what, I think I like the idea of surprising you way too much to pass it on."

"I can't argue with that."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The following Thursday was Thanksgiving, but Christian had to wake up early and go to the office for the morning. Despite the bank holiday, other countries were still running normally. He had promised (and even pinky-swore) to Grace that he would be back in time for food, and then she had reasoned that, since he didn't know how to cook, it was a good thing he wouldn't be around.

So, he woke up at 5:30 am, and as per usual, the bed next to him was empty. He took a quick shower, wondering how Ana could wake up so early when she waited for him every night until ungodly hours. He had tried to tell her that she didn't need to (though he really appreciated it), but she had argued that it was just selfish of her. She just wanted her goodnight kiss, like Grace had her goodnight call.

Ten minutes after he woke up, he went to the kitchen, thinking of skipping breakfast since it was Thanksgiving, but the normal kitchen had disappeared and been replaced by gargantuan proportions of food. His hands hung loose, forgetting about his tie, and he found Ana kneading some dough.

"Did I miss something? Are we inviting the whole country?"

Ana smiled sheepishly, wiping her hand to walk to him and fix his tie as she admitted, "I might have gone overboard."

"_Might_?"

There was something in the oven, and it seemed that Ana had two pies (pecan and sweet potato) ready to be cooked. She had already made cookies, cornbread and mashed potatoes as well as gravy. But there was also all the food waiting to be cooked, the green beans, the potatoes, the sweet potatoes, the Brussel sprouts, the corn, etc…And five empty pitchers ready to be filled.

"Ana …" He started, his mind going to the argument they had the previous Sunday on how Thanksgiving dinner should be handled.

_"Okay, we're off for a couple of hours. Is there anything you want whilst we're out?" Ana asked, making Christian snap his head up and look at the time._

_He had gone to work in his office when Grace went to nap, and he clearly didn't see the time pass as it was already four. The two girls were already dressed to go out, in trench coats and matching berets, making them look like French girls…or the idea people had of French girls because no matter how many times Christian had gone to France, he had never seen people wearing berets there._

_"Where are you going?" He asked with a frown. He had no idea that they had planned to visit anyone, and he deeply hoped that Jamie wasn't in those impromptu plans. He didn't want to be the overbearing ass preventing the girls from living their lives, but he could always suck it up and go with them if _**_Jamie_**_ was yet again going to intervene in their family time._

_"To the farmer's market and the greengrocer. You know, for next week." Grace grinned brightly as her mother explained, and Christian smiled at them._

_Ana had reminded him that Thanksgiving was coming and asked him again if it was still okay for Mia to come with her kids. He had rolled his eyes and simply told her to let the maid know that there would be more mouths to feed. Ana always seemed to forget that they had a maid._

_He had had to remind her that…whatever her name was, was paid to look after their flat. So, they had compromised that Ana would still cook because she liked it, and the maid would take care of the rest, and come when no one was home. It wasn't much of a compromise, because Christian loved Ana's cooking._

_He deeply breathed in, already reaching for his phone for Taylor to go with them. She couldn't argue this time, she didn't know how to drive, and they would need a car._

_"Babe …"_

_She seemed to read his mind, because she reassured him, "Taylor is coming with us. He's waiting downstairs. And we're taking that us…we're taking the Range. We should be back in two to three hours."_

_"Do you want us to bring you peanut butter cookies, daddy?" Grace asked with a mix of cheek and sweetness._

_If there was one thing Ana indulged their daughter in, it was always a treat when they would shop. But this time, Grace was ready to give up her sweet to make her father happy, and though she was obviously teasing his love of anything peanut related, he was touched by her gesture._

_"No, it's okay, sweetie. I like your Mom's better."_

_Grace eagerly agreed, and Ana brushed it off, ready to usher them out. Christian held his hand up and retrieved from his wallet a black card that he had made for her. It wasn't the first time he was trying to give it to her, but both in London and Macau, she had turned him down._

_Ana glanced at the card, before crouching, fussing over Grace as she told her, "Honey, why don't you go check if Gus and Peanut have enough water?"_

_She obviously didn't want to start anything in front of Grace, and Grace looked suspiciously at both her parents before leaving them alone. As soon as she was out of ear range, Ana said, "I'm not taking the card, Christian."_

_"I told you I would provide, Ana. You could refuse it when we were abroad, but this is one of the things you agreed I would do." This time, he was sure he would have the last word._

_"And I appreciate all that you do for us. But I can pay for the food occasionally, can't I?"_

_"Except it's not 'once in a while'. It's all the time. Even though we have a maid who's paid to do our shopping. At least let me pay for Thanksgiving."_

_"I would rather not."_

_"Why not? Who cares who pays? In the end, it's for all of us."_

_"Exactly, who cares?" She triumphantly retorted and he ground his teeth together. Why did she always have to make everything difficult?_

_"You're with me now, Ana. You're going to have to learn to accept my money at some point. Why can't you be reasonable for once, and just take the damn card?"_

_She looked at him deeply and let out a heavy sigh before walking to him and finally taking the card. But before she could go away, he grabbed her hand, and asserted how he had been fooled at his own game,_

_"You're not going to use it, are you?"_

_"I took it," she deflected. He sighed and got up, his hand still on hers._

_"Were you always so annoyingly stubborn with..." He didn't like thinking of her past boyfriends, and even less bringing them up in conversation, but it was becoming quite annoying and his ego was getting more and more wounded. "… With everyone who wants to take care of you?"_

_"It's part of my charm," she pipped with a wicked smile. He glowered at her._

_"I'm starting to take it personally."_

_This made her put her hand on his face with worry. She soothingly caressed his face as she assured him, "No, it has nothing to do with you. I've just always been self-reliant. But I do have to admit that when your boyfriend gives you a £35 million apartment as a gift, it does make you feel…"_

_She looked for the right word, but Christian didn't need a concrete word to understand what she meant. He made her feel cheap as if he was buying her affection. So, he kissed her and made sure that she understood. "I don't want you to feel anything close to that. Ever."_

_"I know you don't. I really do. And that's why I don't get angry with you. I know you're generous, and you just want to take care of us, it's the way you show people how much you care. But…_

_Try to put yourself in my shoes sometimes. I've never depended on anyone before. Least of all, financially. And now, I live at your expense. You can't expect me to be okay and cheery about it in barely a month. I need time."_

Christian looked back at the food, snapping back into the present and decided to not start another argument about money. He would give her time…at least a little.

So, he kissed her forehead and directed the conversation toward another topic, just as important:

"Did you even sleep?"

She sheepishly shook her head and kissed him before going back to her dough, cutting it into equal pieces. She had a huge grin on her lips, and Christian had to admit that he had never seen her so euphoric.

"Are you sure you don't want the maid to help?"

"Claudine. Her name is Claudine," she chastised him, and he muttered a "whatever" under his breath.

They were not staying, so he didn't see the need to learn the maid's name. He poured himself some coffee as Ana was moulding her dough into something that looked like snakes and when she felt his gaze insistent on her, she admitted,

"This isn't only Grace's first Thanksgiving. It will be mine too."

Christian frowned. Ana had only lived in the UK for three years, but she grew up in the US. He had always assumed that she was not into the whole celebration because Ana was big on social justice and Thanksgiving was only a happy celebration on one end of the spectrum.

Ana focused on her dough again, and she used a fork, turning all the little pieces she had made from the snake into gnocchi. "It's just that…as a kid, I never had any. I was always at the orphanage, and all we had for Thanksgiving was an extra piece of candy. And then, as an adult…well I wasn't that close with the in-laws when I had a boyfriend, or I was working."

Christian recalled that out of the two years they spent together, he did make her work for one Thanksgiving, but she didn't seem to mind. But then again, Ana was a big family girl, and he had no doubt that she liked the idea of Thanksgiving because it meant spending time with family.

"Well, in that case, what would make it perfect?"

"It already is," she smiled, though Christian saw a brief hesitation. He walked to her, hugging her from behind so he wouldn't bother her cooking and he kissed her temple, insisting,

"Tell me, babe."

"It's ridiculous, really."

"Just tell me."

"Well … it's a cliché. But … I'd love it if you could buy the cranberry sauce before coming back home. You know, in movies it's always the thing people buy last second."

Christian, laughed, kissing her neck. Of all the things she could ask for, she asked for something as simple as a can of red berries. She laughed with him, though it seemed impossible to turn her lips down on this day, for she was smiling so much.

"You're so easy to please."

"Not really. I have a very specific brand in mind."

He shook his head and kissed her neck once again. She leaned her head against his, before suddenly remembering something, "By the way, I know you have to go to work and all, but you better not be late. Grace has no idea that you know of your family coming, and she's planning this big surprise for you."

"Oh."

"You better act surprised. Only Oscar-worthy performances welcome today," she threatened, with her fork covered in flour. Christian raised his hands in peace, laughing with her and returned to his coffee, asking,

"So? Who else is coming?" He did tell her to invite whomever, but he couldn't remember who exactly would be at the party.

"Well, your family, obviously. Julian might bring a friend, but your brother seemed quite opposed to the idea. Mia is coming with her boys. Her husband and his kids had to stay behind, unfortunately. He couldn't get out of work for both of the days, and the kid's grandparents are not comfortable letting them go without their father.

Andrew is coming as well; he is quite curious what the fuss is all about. I offered to Ray and Carla, but they had already made plans. But Elena and her husband are going to stop by for coffee. And of course, Jamie will be coming with you, after work."

Christian sipped on his coffee, refusing to react in any way. Of course, Jamie was coming. "How about Jose and Karl?" He questioned, surprised that they hadn't been the first people mentioned.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, they're a given, obviously. Also, I forgot, Jack might drop by as well."

This made his coffee go down the wrong pipe, and he coughed out the liquid, asking in a hiss, "As in _Hyde_?"

"Yes," she said simply, with a small on her face as she gave him a napkin. Christian wiped his mouth, glaring at her as he prodded for some explanation. Hyde had no business coming to his place for a family celebration.

"Doesn't he have a house? And doesn't he live in LA? What is he doing here? Wasn't he already here two weeks ago?"

Hyde had come to visit Christian's girls just when Christian hadn't been home, obviously. It seemed that the comedian didn't understand that Ana was not single and that he needed another punch in the face as a reminder.

"Well, he has an audition here for a potential movie. Something serious he said. I hope he gets the part, though they're the ones who called him, so it shouldn't be a problem. But I told him that he was more than welcome to join us afterwards if it doesn't drag too long. I don't want him to spend Thanksgiving on his own, you know."

Christian glared at his coffee, not pleased at all. Hyde had always been touchy-feely with Ana. Every time he had gone to pick her up at her soup kitchen, Hyde had been there, his hands all over her. Not to mention the countless times she went to see him perform his _comedy_, or whatever it was.

"Christian … Jack is just a friend, you know that, right?"

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, turning so she wouldn't see his anger.

She walked to him, and placed herself in his arms, as she repeated, "He's just a friend. Nothing ever happened between us that could warrant — "

"Nothing? For a friend, he did seem to always have his paws on you quite a lot, you know. Last time I checked, that doesn't scream 'just friends'."

"And last time I checked, you punched him in the nose for no reason. I think you should apologise to him for that."

"Yeah, right." There was no way in hell he would ever apologise to fucking _Hyde_.

"Christian … Jack is just a friend. He doesn't see me that way, and more importantly, I don't feel anything for him, anything remotely close to what I feel for you."

"Then why was it okay for him to hug you all the time, and it isn't okay for me to do so? Why every time I kiss or embrace you in front of someone, you tense?"

"I don't…tense."

"Yes, you do. And because of that, Grace thinks that kissing is only for married people."

Ana rolled her eyes, a teasing smile spreading her lips. "Well, that settles it for when she'll be older. You won't have to worry until she gets married."

Christian surrendered, hating to think that in a few years, he would have to be one of those dads. But he didn't let Ana deter him from the conversation. "Why can't I have the same treatment as Hyde? Or Andrew? Why am I not deserving of your public displays of affection?"

"It's not the same, Christian. Why do you compare with people who don't even rank in the same category as you?"

"How about Jose and Jamie?" He had kept them separate on purpose. "Andrew and Hyde are certainly not your 'brothers'."

He watched Ana frown, though it didn't seem that it was to hide her emotions, but rather that she was trying to see them clearly. Then she looked down, seemingly confused and distressed,

"I…I don't know, Christian. I just feel that…we are together, and it's nobody's business but ours. When you touch me, it's…something intimate, it's like a secret between you and me, and it should stay just like that. It's…private. What we feel for each other should be just for us. But…

I know how you feel. I know that you're more tactile, that you're a hands-on guy. I didn't realise I was giving off such a bad vibe. I'm trying to brush it off, but I'm obviously failing."

Christian swallowed with difficulty, feeling that he had once again pushed Ana too abruptly, and he lifted her chin up. There was a hint of sadness in her eyes, and he immediately regretted coming on so strong. This was the last thing he wanted, to make her sad, especially on a day that seemed so important for her.

"I'm sorry, babe. I got carried away. I…I guess I'm just jealous of the littlest things. I'm just so happy to be with you that I want the world to see it, I want the world to see that you're the best thing that has ever happened to me. I'm sorry."

She shook her head, her smile back on her lips. "No. I understand where you're coming from. As I said, I'll make an effort, just be patient with me."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

When Christian got home later that day, he was greeted by a squealing Grace who jumped in his arms. He picked her up, ignoring Jamie behind him (this was the best course of action) and Grace gleefully kissed his cheek as he took in the wonderful smell of food. Just by the scent, he could tell that Ana had surpassed herself.

Grace asked for the floor and took her father's hand in hers. "You have to close your eyes, now, daddy."

"Why? I need my eyes to see all the food I'm about to eat."

"It's a surprise." She waited for him to close his eyes, and when he did, he let her guide him through the apartment, though she was a terrible guide. After she bumped him once against a small table, it seemed that Jamie (of all people) helped him avoid several injuries.

He could hear his parents talk, as well as other people, but when he opened his eyes, he still feigned surprise, exaggerating everything to make sure Grace got the effect she wanted. And it appeared to have worked for she looked quite pleased with herself.

Everyone but the Lincolns and Hyde were there, and for the first time, the living room seemed a bit crowded. He stayed with the guests for a bit as Grace introduced her Uncle Jamie to everyone, and after five minutes, he joined Ana in the kitchen, though Elliott was hot on his heels.

"Dude, how can you be such a shark in business and poker, and terrible at faking surprise? I've seen more convincing porn."

Christian rolled his eyes as Ana snickered with his brother. He walked to her and produced the cranberry sauce. Though he could have had someone buy it for him, he went to the supermarket himself, well actually two supermarkets, because the first one didn't have the brand she wanted, and bought the jar himself.

Ana smiled brightly, and after briefly hesitating, she pecked his lips. But since Christian had always been greedy when it came to Ana, he stopped her from stepping away and turned the sweet peck into a full makeout session.

Thankfully, Elliott didn't comment on it but started a conversation on how he didn't like the budding relationship between their father and little Grace. Carrick had brought a chess game, and since they had arrived early in the day, he had played with her, which resulted in a lot of teasing toward Christian and Elliott from Carrick's part.

"So now, not only does Dad have the girl he always wanted to _spoil_," - he waited for Ana's reaction, a crooked smile on his lips. She simply rolled her eyes, busy heating up one of the jars of cranberry sauce - "But he also has the player he always wanted. Can't you tell your kid that chess is bad or something?"

Christian laughed, washing his hands, and when he asked Ana if she needed help (though he had no idea what he could do to help) she just told him to gather everyone in the living room. He kissed her cheek, noticing in a corner of his brain that the two redheads were wearing the same black and white checkered dress as well the same side braid.

Elliott followed him to the living room, asking about their recent trip abroad, but they both stopped talking when they saw the amount of food on the table. The only free space was in the middle, probably for the turkey, and once the shock wore off, Elliott bumped his shoulder on Christian's.

"Well, Ana doesn't do things half-assed. Is she this thorough in every aspect of your life?"

Though he wanted to glare at his brother, he couldn't help but be smug about it, because when it came to their intimacy, Ana was a giver as much as she was a receiver.

People came to sit in the dining room, all astonished by the food, but he noticed the same expression that Jamie, Mia and Jose had on their faces. He had seen it on Ana's face as well, and so he assumed that it was something that he would never be able to understand, let alone relate to.

It was a strange mix of nostalgia, fulfilment and sadness, but under a happy smile. He guessed that it was something that only someone who didn't grow up with a loving family had. When he tried to sit Grace down, she disappeared and came back a minute later carefully holding a plate with the cranberry sauces. Christian took it from her hands, but he was pretty sure that this exact picture had been part of Ana's perfect fantasy. In fact, he was glad for all the snaps he could hear, because he was too busy being marvelled to take any picture.

And finally, Ana came with the turkey, and everyone applauded at the beast. Christian wondered how it had even fit in the oven, not that he actually cared. Ana's smile was just ecstatic, and when she presented him the knife to carve into the humongous turkey, he wrapped his hand around her waist, kissing her temple whilst Grace was standing up on her chair, trying to sneak a caramelised onion.

And he could never thank Jose enough for capturing that magical moment.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The day had gone by too fast for Christian's taste. He barely felt that he had gotten home before people were already leaving. Mia was the first to go. She had an early flight, and she wanted her children to be rested so they recover and be ready for their annual family reunion.

It was at that moment that Ana said that it was way past Grace's bedtime, though Grace didn't argue much, yawning her way to her bathroom. Christian helped her get ready for bed, making sure she brushed her teeth and washed her face.

She yawned again, and asked her father, "Can we call Jin? I want to tell him about the chess game Pops got me."

"Of course, sweetie. Just rinse your mouth first."

He brushed her hair, the only thing he could do to her hair without feeling like an oaf and when he directed her to her room, she asked,

"Can I sleep with Mama and you? It's a special day."

Christian smiled and picked her up, before taking her to the master bedroom, thinking that he ought to really learn to say no to his daughter. Grace excitedly spoke with her friend from abroad for ten minutes, learning a few more words, before she crashed on his pillow.

He kissed her forehead and went back to the living room, where the Lincolns, who had dropped by for coffee and the snacks of the evening, left as well, Hyde shortly after them (Christian did not apologise in the slightest). Andrew left with Jamie, though Ana had proposed the two of them stay on the couch, as she was worried about their alcohol intake (Carrick had made some mean cocktails).

Jose and Karl were the last to go since the Greys were staying in the penthouse's guest room. Christian had teased Grace earlier, telling her that his apartment wasn't too big after all since now her whole family could stay with her. Though the person who was most excited about that was Jason, who had already planned to make pancakes with his little cousin in the morning.

Christian spent most of the evening with his brother, realising that he had barely been in touch since Ana came back in his life. He promised Elliott that he would try harder once they moved to Seattle, and Elliott promised that he wouldn't let him off the hook.

Shortly after midnight, they all dispersed to their rooms, though as soon as Ana saw Grace in their bed, she said pragmatically, "I'll sleep in her bed."

"_No_! No, I'll put her to her bed. You just stay here," Christian quickly uttered, taking Grace in his arms and walking to her bedroom. After all, Grace did tell him that it was customary for her mother to put her back in her bed.

The little girl sleepily snuggled in his arms, mumbling in her slumber, just like her mother did, and he tucked her in before going back to his room. Ana was in the bathroom removing her makeup, and he simply brushed his teeth and slipped in his pyjamas before going to bed, feeling the exhaustion of the day catching up to him.

No matter how much he had enjoyed the company, he wasn't like Ana. He was used to solitude and confinement, and it was exhausting to entertain people. He laid in bed, checking his emails on his phone and typing a list of things Andrea needed to fit in his agenda for the upcoming week when he heard a thud coming from the bathroom.

"Babe?"

"I'm okay. Just dropped my brush."

He briefly glanced at the door, waiting for her to come out safe and sound, but when she just remained hidden there, he put his phone aside and got up to check on her. Just to put his mind at ease.

"Babe?" He repeated, popping his head in the bathroom, and she scowled at him. Though he couldn't blame her. It was obvious that she had wanted to surprise him, and he had just ruined the whole effect. She was wearing a red silk babydoll that outlined her breasts with fine black lace.

He cleared his throat, a goofy smile on his lips, though it was his turn to scowl when he saw that she was in the process of putting a long robe over it. "I wouldn't even dream about it," he told her in a low whisper, before walking to her and kissing her, his hands going to her body, loving the way her skin felt under the soft fabric.

His hands fell on her ass, and it took him a few seconds of groping to realise that she wasn't wearing any underwear. He groaned, breaking their kiss, and assessed, "That's cruel."

"I can go back to my old — "

"_No_! I'll behave. I just … you look tantalising, you know that."

"You're not so bad yourself," she dismissed, her hands beneath his shirt, touching his muscles. Though it was something increasingly difficult to juggle with family life, Christian tried to hit the gym at least three times a week. He usually went after work, though he always took the time to drop by the apartment first, so Ana wouldn't wait for him to go to bed.

He took a deep breath, and kissed her forehead before saying, "Let's get to bed before I find myself stealing your virtue."

"You can't steal what doesn't exist," Ana laughed, though she followed him to bed.

They both slipped under the covers, and Christian reached to switch off the light, only noticing then that there was a small wrapped package on his nightstand. He took it in his hand, looking at Ana with curiousness, and she just shrugged.

"I've been told that it's good form to give your significant other something once in a while."

He chuckled, though he noticed her blush, which always made him smug. Ana was always so composed herself that anything that made her blush made him feel giddy. Still, he didn't take the package in his hand, and he sat up on the bed, pointing out,

"So, we're allowed to exchange gifts, now? Without any ranting of sorts?"

"Well…I already got mine. So now, it's time for yours."

"I don't recall getting you anything. And don't you dare mention London. You can't use that card at every turn."

Ana moved so she could sit on his lap, though she seemed to think that there is some sort of irony to what he said. She pecked his lips, putting her arms behind his neck, and he tried very hard to not think about how she was not wearing any underwear.

"You gave me today," she said in a loving whisper, her lips tugging up at the recollection of the day. "You could have gone to your office after lunch, but you stayed and socialised, even with Jack. Because you knew I wanted that special Thanksgiving for Grace and me. So…thank you Christian, for making my day wonderful."

He looked in her deep blue eyes, and clashed his lips against hers, his hands tracing the lines of her babydoll. He was only seconds from forgetting all about their daughter, his family, and the rest of the world when he regained control of himself.

He cleared his throat, breaking their kiss but keeping her steady on his lap, and he kissed her shoulder as his hand caressed her side. "This is nice," he commented as the fabric moved against his skin.

"I love" - _kiss_ \- "the way" - _kiss_ \- "it feels" - _kiss_ \- "on your soft" -_ kiss _"delicious" - _kiss_ \- "sweet" - _kiss _\- "skin" - _kiss_.

He sucked on the sensitive spot of her neck, though his mind was still rather clear on the overall situation. "Still, I can't help but notice the unfairness of it all. You get to buy me things, lingerie, presents, anytime you want, and all I get is you complaining when I try to do the same."

Ana giggled, and she promised, "When I buy you a £35 million apartment, I swear I will let you do aaaaaaaaaaall the complaining you want."

She pecked his lips, happy with her quip, but Christian knew it was a moot point to argue. He could buy her toilet paper and she would argue. After all, this had been one of their first debates, whether she should accept the Cartier bracelet that he had gotten her.

She smiled and reached to switch off the light from his side, and when she rolled on the side with a small yawn, Christian thought of striking the iron whilst it was still hot. She was in a festive mood due both to the Thanksgiving bliss and his Dad's killer cocktails.

"Talking of presents," he said, spooning against her and resuming the kisses on her shoulder. "Christmas is coming up, and I would like to make sure you get something you like this year. The two Christmases we spent together shall not be remembered for my gifts to you. So...what shall I get you?"

"I don't think I want anything, to be fair; Karl asked me the same question, and I have no idea."

"Anything, babe. A car?" Kiss. "Jewellery?" Kiss. "An island?" He added with a teasing smile.

This ought to make her laugh, and she slightly turned her head so she could see his silhouette as she points out, "The thing is, you are actually serious."

He didn't respond, because he _would _get her an island if that's what she wanted. "Anything babe. Anything you want. Just think about it, okay?"

"Okay. I'll let you know as soon as anything comes to mind," she promised. He grinned to himself, holding her tighter to him and feeling like a kid.

"Now, if it makes it easier for you, I know what I want for Christmas," he said, his heart rate suddenly accelerating. Maybe Ana would rather have the surprise of him proposing, but he didn't want her to feel the pressure of having to say yes because he would propose in front of his family. If she knew beforehand, she could turn him down with no pressure and no humiliation for him. But … if she said yes, it would be the best Christmas of his life.

But of course, Ana had to shatter down all his expectations, proudly saying in a singsong "Naha. I already have your Christmas present."

"What is it?" He asked, like a kid.

"It's a surprise. You have to behave and wait to get it on December 25th."

"Tell me," he insisted, and when she refused, he tickled her, making her burst into silent laughter. "Tell me," he repeated, increasing his torture, but all she said between two giggling fits was,

"Please, please Christian, stop it. I can't breathe."

Christian stopped, lifting his body so he would slightly hover over her. He could discern the contour of her face with the faint light of electronics charging, and he smiled at her with love.

"I'm such a lucky bastard."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So much fluff, I'm going to cry, haha. **

💚** So, it's another big chapter. And I cut a scene to put it as a flashback at a later date. But I really enjoyed writing this cute, sweet, and adorable chapter. For the new readers, enjoy, for the veterans, ENJOY because you know, haha. **

💚**Now question time,**

**1\. Okay, lots of things happened. Let's get the naughty out of the way. What did you think of the meeting with CF Holdings?**

**2\. What did you think of the thanksgiving? Of Ana's feelings and anticipations about it?**

**3\. And about Andrea. Are you team Christian or team Ana? **

**4\. And what about Grace? She clearly doesn't know how to surprise people, haha. And she's playing chess now … and still getting chummy with Jin …**

**5\. And Christian clearly has his mind on proposing, NOT EVEN TWO MONTHS AFTER THEY STARTED DATING! Haha. How do you think he will propose, and what do you think Ana's answer will be?**

**6\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? Mine was the picture. Usually, when I write, I feel the writing, more than see it, if that makes sense. But that happy picture, it is branded in my brain. If I could draw, I definitely would draw it!**

**7\. And what do you think will happen next?**

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	23. Chapter 21: Turquoise, 15 Red Roses &

**My dear little broccolis💚💚💚**

**💚 So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

💚** Also, i****f you want pictures of the story, just check out my Facebook group, Mina's Broccolis, and you will find pictures as the story unveils. And a few sneak-peeks here and there as well.**

**‼️ABOUT THE REVIEWS‼️**

**1/ So I am surprised that no one caught up on the fact that Christian did not open Ana's present. He literally just put it aside and started ranting about how she never lets him buy her things, and ... it flew off the radar XD. BUT, he did not open the gift, and he does not know what it is. **

**2/ About the jealousy ... Is Christian validated in his feelings? Honestly, shall I remind you that Christian was even jealous of his BROTHER in the first book? Even in this book, he feared for a while that Elliott and Ana would end up together? She literally told Christian that she's not interested in anyone, and no one is interested in her. So maybe Jamie is bad news, maybe he's not. But ... yeah ...**

**3/ Now, in the first book, Ana did say several times that she wasn't really comfortable with PDA when it came to her love life. Because as she explained the last chapter, it's something private to her. But she does understand that Christian is the opposite, and she is making efforts. So her not being all over Christian whilst in public has nothing to do with commitment issues**

**4/ And yes, I am team Ana. Andrea is a Godsend to Christian, and more than once, he said himself that any other PA wouldn't do. I might do a little bonus chapter from her POV, how about that?**

**‼️DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW‼️**

💚** Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy **💚

**Chapter 21: Turquoise, 15 Red Roses, Glendalough(9,6K)**

**So this title is cheeky. What is the meaning of 15 roses? Tell me guys, without checking google. Turquoise is said to attract money, success and love and we have our usual Whiskey here. ^^**

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

When Christian got back home the next day, he had missed Grace's bedtime once again, though she had called him and told him that she made pumpkin cookies with her Nana and that he could have some. His family was staying over for the weekend, and from what he gathered, Grace was loving it, especially since she had Jason wrapped around her finger.

Ana had sent him pictures of Jason and Grace dressed in princess dresses and debating who was the better princess. He was slightly annoyed to miss spending time with her, but he still had to deal with several of his dealings abroad.

He did, however, spend an hour with Ana at a shelter for lunchtime, as per Roger's request. Ana had found an association that would be happy to take their Thanksgiving leftovers off their hands. Christian didn't even think it was possible to give perishable food, but Ana had taken care of everything.

And Roger felt that it would be good for Christian's public image to be seen helping the less fortunate, rather than him just sending a check. Ana didn't object, and it allowed them to spend a little time together, even though it was under the scrutiny of a couple of photographers.

She had promised him a peanut butter cheesecake for when he would get back home, but he still wanted to go by the gym, to ease his conscience due to all the food he had on the previous day. So, after greeting his family and kissing his girlfriend, Christian let them know that he would exercise for a bit. Elliott proposed to join him, and even if he had thought of denying his brother, he would have accepted under Ana's very pointed look.

They each started on a treadmill, Elliott making fun of him for working when the rest of the US was busy shopping. Christian rolled his eyes, but was surprised when Elliott told him,

"You know, Ana lets Mom and Dad spoil Grace. We went shopping, and she did not pip a word. This is quite frustrating. It's called discrimination against awesome uncles, you know. Talk to your woman!"

Christian smirked, reminiscing that he had told Ana that being a grandparent meant spoiling kids. Ana had listened and took it upon herself to stop nagging.

"Well, Christmas is coming. She can't nag Santa."

"Grace doesn't believe in Santa. Why do you have to have such a bright kid? I was so looking forward to dressing as Santa again," Elliott whined, and Christian whipped his head around, unaware of that fact.

"What?"

"Yeah, Julian and Jason were asking her if she got her letter to Santa. And she got all red. It was so cute. She said she didn't want to talk about it, and then Ana told her it was okay. She thought my kids still believed in Santa and she didn't want to ruin their fun." He chuckled, but Christian frowned. It was one thing for Ana to read their daughter French stories about ex-cons and failed revolutions, it was another to crush the idea of Santa. Elliott must have caught up on his mood because he added,

"Grace was terrified at the idea that a grown man could come into her house, uninvited. And apparently, she also said that it didn't make sense for Santa to come to give presents to all the kids in the world on the same night, because her Godparents needed to take the plane to come and see her, so the man in red needs a plane as well, and plane rides are long.

I think Ana is a bit disappointed that she never really got to do the whole Christmas thing with her daughter."

Christian nodded, refocusing on his treadmill, wondering if being so clever was going to rob Grace of all the enjoyable things of childhood. Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny. But then he recalled that Grace still believed in dragons and magic.

So, he simply focused on the conversation, asking what they did during the day. The morning had been dedicated to Christian's presents from Grace and Ana. And no matter how much he tried to get his brother to spill, Elliott remained silent as a tomb.

They had spent the afternoon playing games in the penthouse, and Grace showed more interest in chess than card games, so she spent most of her afternoon with her grandfather whilst the rest of the family played card games, though Julian mostly stayed on his phone, or in the kitchen with Ana.

"Julian is in this phase where he thinks I'm a total loser, and I get it, Dad was pretty lame at one time," Elliott reminded them, and they both laughed at the recollection of Carrick trying to be cool to Elliott's friends whenever he had someone over.

"Yeah, you remember that one time he tried to start his sentence with 'yo' … God, I hope I never do that," Christian snickered, getting off the treadmill, and Elliott approved. They moved to the boxing bag, and Christian held it steady as his brother put on the gloves.

"Argh, if I ever do that to the kids, you are allowed to kill me. The shame, the embarrassment, the lack of self-awareness," Elliott shivered, and they both laughed again before he started hitting the bag and said,

"The thing is … Julian had his first date a few days ago, and I barely knew about it. He called Ana and asked _her_ for all the advice he could get -which I don't get. I mean, I get not wanting your Dad in the ordeal, but Ana is dating _you_, so she is clearly lacking good sense in that department."

Even though Elliott's tone was teasing, Christian did not stop himself from pushing the bag in the direction of his brother's face, who just grinned. But he could still tell that Elliott was bothered by this wedge forming between him and his first son.

"Stop being such a stick. I was just teasing. I mean, it's all I can do since I am officially an uncool dad now. Which is rather annoying, I was the best dad at birthday parties."

"Well … did he tell you how the date went?"

"Nope. Not a word. But I'm guessing there is going to be a part two since no one was allowed in the kitchen today whilst they were making dinner with Ana, talking about God knows what for a whole hour. You know, it's going to be so much better when you guys live in Seattle. I'll send my kid to you for all the unpleasantness that teenagers bring, and I'll take yours for tea parties and dragon tales."

"I'm not switching kids."

"Aww, but Jason would love you forever if he could have a little sister, instead of a big brother."

Christian rolled his eyes, though he agreed with Elliott. If anyone was even happier than his parents about Grace being in his life, it was Jason. Throughout Thanksgiving, he was at Grace's beck and call, and she loved the attention. He helped her with her food, he praised the littlest things she did, he proudly showed her tricks he had learned from his brother, like how to make a flower (of sorts) from a napkin.

"Yeah, your kid is like Dad junior."

They both laughed, and Elliott kept punching the bag as Christian felt that he should say something about his other nephew. Julian might not be Elliott's biological son, but he loved him just the same. In Elliott's heart, Julian was his firstborn, and Christian was sure that Ana would chastise him if he didn't find a way to make his brother feel a bit better.

"Maybe … you should try to share with Julian how you used to make all the girls fall for you. You know, a few tips and pointers."

Elliott rolled his eyes, "You know, this high school bullshit, you're going to have to get over it. It's not like I asked for it."

"Just trying to help with your kid," Christian mumbled under his breath. Whilst growing up, Elliott had always been popular, and the girls all fawned over him. So much so that a couple of girls only talked to Christian in the hopes of getting closer to Elliott.

"Yeah, well, I'm sure I'll get an 'Eww, Dad, gross,' anyway. So, don't sweat it."

"Why don't you propose to have the girl over for lunch, then?"

"Girl? I don't even know if he's interested in girls," Elliott said with a shrug, and Christian stared at his brother, dumbfounded.

"Julian's gay?"

"How the hell should I know?"

"Well, didn't you ask him?"

"No, of course not. Kids already have enough on their plates, without the pressure of fitting in this category, or the other. I don't care, honestly. He should just follow his heart … well, at his age, his pants are more accurate.

We had the talk about STDs, pregnancies, and all that, and Ana told me that she covered that all over again, so I'm good. Well, I'd rather he'd wait a bit to dip it anywhere, but I don't think he's there yet, anyway. It was just the first date."

"But how can you not know if he's gay?" Christian mused. "I mean there are some signs. You don't watch big boobs porn if you're gay. And I don't know, what's his favourite TV show, or what kind of posters are in his room?"

Elliott rolled his eyes, removing his gloves as he said, "Sometimes, I wonder what world you live in. My kid knows his way around a computer, Christian. He knows how to delete his browser history, and I don't snoop in his laptop. I trust him. And honestly, shows and posters? Have you seen the shows that come up nowadays? Have you heard of inclusivity? It doesn't just affect the business world, it also affects Hollywood.

I'm good really, I just wanted to rant. He's my first kid, and … it's the first time I'm feeling he's not my little boy anymore. It will be easier with Jason. I'm sure Dad has had the same conversation with Mom."

"Oh, so now, I'm Mom?" Christian said with a mocking smile, putting the gloves on. Elliott playfully nudged him, before taking the bag in his hand to keep it steady for his brother, just like Christian had done for him.

For a while, neither of them said a word, the room only echoing with Christian's jabs, when Elliott finally spoke, "So … shall we talk about it?"

"About what?"

"The elephant in the room?"

Christian stopped boxing for a second, staring at his brother with incomprehension. Elliott rolled his eyes, and clarified, "That Jamie guy."

Christian scowled, and resumed his punches, though he hit harder this time. He didn't want to speak or even think about Jamie.

"You don't like him," Elliott said, not asking a question but stating a fact. Christian didn't respond, hoping that he wasn't that obvious. He didn't want to go back on his word to Ana. But then again, she did say something about his attitude toward Hyde (what a stupid name), so she would have mentioned something if she felt that he had ill feelings toward Jamie. Unless … unless she too felt something for the man from her past.

"I'm just wondering why you don't like him. I mean, is he bad at his job, and you're only keeping him because of —"

"He's _perfect_ for the job," Christian gritted between his teeth.

"Then, why?"

Christian briefly glanced at his brother, not comfortable sharing things Ana only shared with him. "Did Ana tell you about him?"

Elliott pointedly looked at his brother, as if he was stupid. "Ana? Do you even know your girlfriend? Ana never willingly speaks about herself. On what planet do you live?"

"I know. Well … they just … have a common past. They grew up together," Christian said, trying to stay as vague as possible and focussing on his jabs.

"Oh … that explains a lot." Christian stopped and threw a look at his brother. Elliott shrugged and said, "It's just something in the way they interact."

"Yeah, like the way he can't keep his eyes off of her!"

Elliott rolled his eyes, but Christian finally let it all out. After all, he didn't promise anything to his brother. "Ana might see him only as a brother, but he _clearly_ wants more. And he's always in the way, always around because he works for me. But even outside of work, he's here.

I had no intention of inviting him for Thanksgiving, but o_f course_, Ana did. And every morning, he jogs with her, and o_f course,_ Grace has to like him as well, because he's so nice to her. He's _always_ around. So much so that my PR got more pictures of him and Ana than me and my girlfriend. How is that even logical?

He's easing his way into my family, and all he wants is to snatch it away."

After his rant, he felt out of breath, and Elliott simply looked at him before quietly saying something that sounded like a stupid absurdity.

"I don't think so." Christian gave him a pointed look and Elliott continued, "Did you try to pay attention to anyone else yesterday?"

"_Hyde_ was there," Christian gritted between his teeth. Why did he have to suffer in his own home all the men lurking around his girlfriend who was too oblivious to understand?

"Jose also had his eyes on her all the time."

"Jose is gay and married."

"Jose is a brother. Look at Julian yesterday. Or this morning. His first concern was about Grace and to know if she slept well. Sure, he didn't play with her and all, but just like he does for Jason, he always had an eye on Grace as well."

"You don't look at me all the time," Christian retorted, rolling his eyes.

"I do. How do you think I've noticed you grinding your teeth like some idiot? I always know what you're doing when we're together. You know, in some way, being the older sibling is a bit like being a parent."

"It's not. Stop making jokes, I'm serious about this, Elliott."

"And so am I. You can't understand, you're the youngest. But as an older brother … I don't know, you naturally feel protective of your younger siblings, and you want them to be happy. You—"

"It doesn't fit your theory, Ana is older than Jamie," Christian cut him off, even though he knew he was pushing it. Jamie was only six months younger than Ana.

"Is he? The guy is freakishly tall, though. I thought he was older. But I also think that he's old fashioned. He's the guy, he's bigger and stronger than Ana. Of course, he'd want to protect her."

"Who cares what _he_ wants? It's not his job. It's _my_ job. She's _my_ girl. They're not even blood-related. They haven't seen each other in more than fifteen years. Whatever they had before as kids, it died a long time ago. Only Ana still believes in her romanticised notion that they're still a _family_. She's deluded, and he uses that against her."

"I hope you didn't say that to her."

"Of course not, I'm not stupid," Christian snarled before taking a deep calming breath. Ana always had that beautiful ideal of what a family was, and sometimes, Christian felt she wanted so much for this fantasy to be real that she forgot her reality.

"Well … I think you're wrong. I don't know, Christian. There is this saying about blood being thicker than water, but … the three of them, Jose, Jamie and Mia, I could tell they had a strong bond with Ana. As sad as it is to say, it feels like their bond is stronger than ours. Maybe it's because they grew up with crappy families. Maybe when you create your own family, you also create much stronger ties."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The Tuesday that followed the Thanksgiving weekend was the day Andrea had found some time for Christian to take Ana on a date. He had Andrea book them The Leopard and Ana seemed to be quite excited to spend this evening with him. That was until a business associate from Washington came to New York and wrecked all his plans with Ana.

He had Andrea call Ana to let her know and cancel, annoyed by this bump in their schedule. Since Ana barely had a month left to work with Raymond, she stopped taking new cases, and she started having more time during the day, but it was the opposite for Christian.

He spent the whole day delving into how much he didn't like these kinds of unplanned bumps. He could blow his associate off, but he didn't want to be rude to someone with whom he had invested so much of his time and money. It was only when Jamie brought up the matter again that he thought of a good solution.

"So …" Jamie started, looking up from his phone. "Do you want me to come, tonight?"

"It's a business dinner, and last time I checked, you are required to be present at that sort of meeting. Plus, it will be good for you to meet Jefferson, he has more than one business with GEH."

"Yes, I get that. I just … He's coming with his wife, isn't he? I doubt he'll talk shop all night. I thought you'd rather make it cosy and intimate, like a double date."

Christian stared at Jamie, wondering why he didn't think of that himself earlier. This would be perfect. He would get to give Ana the date she wanted and meet his partner at the same time. _And_, the cherry on top, it would be some time with Ana, _without_ Jamie around.

He must have stared longer than he thought because Jamie cleared his throat and reminded him, "That's why you hired me, remember, to make your life easier. I would take the dinner on myself, but you don't seem ready to relinquish that kind of control yet."

"No. Take your evening off. Find yourself a date, I'll get Andrea to call Ana," Christian said, before thinking about it. Andrea already cancelled on Ana, so it would be best if he called her and told her himself, in case she needed some convincing.

He took his phone out, ready to kick Jamie out for a couple of minutes, but then he saw he had a missed text from Ana. He frowned, not having felt the buzz in his pocket, and then thinking that he should tell Ana to contact him on his professional phone that he always had out, rather than his personal.

**So, I just had news from Andrea about our date night … It's okay. But next time, I would rather you tell me yourself. And I wouldn't say no to nice flowers for consolation, either ^^****. ~ Ana**

**I'm sorry, babe. I just saw your text. How about I still take you out, and get you the flowers as well? ~ Christian**

**It's okay, Christian. I understand that you have to work. I just want to make it clear that I'm with you, not your PA. It doesn't feel nice when she's the one cancelling our date night for you. ~ Ana**

Christian frowned, surprised that Ana would take something so simple so personally. She said that Andrea was a security blanket to her, so she shouldn't feel so self-conscious about Andrea being in charge of events in his life.

**I won't cancel again. That was not very smart. As I said, I'm still taking you out. Let me show Jefferson the beautiful woman who shares my life. ~ Christian**

**You want me to come to your business dinner? ~ Ana**

**I promise I'll keep the work talk to a minimum. And he's coming with his wife. It will be a double date. ~ Christian**

**Okay. ~ Ana**

**I'll still get you the flowers though. Roses, or sunflowers? ~ Christian**

**15 red roses ^^**** ~ Ana**

**That's specific. ~ Christian**

**It has a special meaning. Look it up. And you're not allowed to ask Andrea to do the job for you, I will know. I'll see you tonight, with my flowers. xoxo ~ Ana**

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

After their date with the Jeffersons, Christian had Taylor drive them back to their apartment, his hand clasped around Ana's. He closed the partition, having had invested in a car that could have separation since he knew that Ana wasn't comfortable talking in front of either Taylor or Sawyer.

"Babe, can I ask you something?"

Ana turned away from the window where she had her gaze lost in traffic and looked in his eyes with a curious smile, and so he said, "It's just … I don't … It felt like you were playing a role."

She raised a surprised eyebrow, and said matter-of-factly, "I have a role to play, Christian. As your girlfriend, I can't—"

"No you don't," he cut her off. "I don't give a flying shit about what any of them think. It can be Jefferson, the Chos, Windsor, the President himself. I don't care about them. You're my w… girlfriend, and all I care about is that you're comfortable. Just you. Who cares about the world when I have you?"

She gave him a bright smile, and she brought his hand to her lips, squeezing it gently as she looked back through the window. He felt a pinch at how it should have been the other way around. He should have been the one to kiss her hand, but he kept that to himself, not wanting to give Ana yet another reason to call him a caveman.

They lightly talked about Grace as well as the meaning of Ana's bouquet on their way home and once in the elevator, Ana kissed him without a care in the world, which didn't surprise Christian much. He had noticed that Ana was always a bit bolder after drinking. And he was pretty sure that her tolerance for alcohol drastically lowered after giving birth to Grace.

Still, he was not going to waste the opportunity to enjoy the feel of Ana against him, even if it was momentary, and he tackled her against the mirror, one hand cupping her face whilst the second went to her leg, appreciating the feel of her skin beneath her dress, despite the coldness of it.

When they got to their penthouse, Ana detangled herself from him, though she took the time to bite his lower lip while squeezing his ass, and Christian wished that this wasn't a school night. Jose and Karl had come to look after Grace, but now that they were back, the pair would go back to their own home.

"So, I would appreciate it if you told Carrick that he's no longer allowed to teach Grace any games. It's always depressing when a four-year-old beats you at chess. Grandpas are supposed to give sweets to their grandkids, not chess games," Jose whined, and both Ana and Karl laughed at him.

The couple didn't stay long, only catching up with Ana for a few moments, and Christian barely paid attention, answering a couple of emails on his phone, his left hand caressing Ana's skin on her back where her dress allowed it.

Still, his ears perked when he heard Jose joke again about his daughter, on a matter much more serious than her abilities at chess. "She was so cute with her boyfriend. They spent almost an hour on the phone until Jin's mother told him he would be late for school. They'll make such a cute couple."

Christian looked up, glaring at Jose for bringing that up, even as a joke. Grace was four, just a little girl who only cared about having a friend and sharing her passion for dragons and languages. He already had a Cantonese tutor lined up in Seattle so she could learn to speak and write it faster. Grace had been devastated to learn that there was this whole different language on the other part of the world, though she chastised herself for not realising that the symbols in Mulan were words.

Ana must have sensed him tense because she gently squeezed his knee, without even looking at him, and so he got up, kissing her cheek and telling them that he would work in his office. A couple of hours later, Ana came to him, still wearing the white dress she wore at the restaurant, a glass of wine in each hand.

"Are you still mad?"

"I'm not mad. Just …" He looked for his words, and she smiled, walking to him and leaning against the desk as she gave him his glass.

"You're just being a caveman. Grace is four. You have ten good years before she starts thinking of boys that way. Or girls."

"How about thirty?" He grumbled under his breath, before drinking the wine.

"Hey! We're supposed to toast!" She exclaimed.

"About what?" He asked, confused.

"Us? I think that's a good reason to toast. Little us time," She shrugged, drinking her wine just like he did.

He frowned, slowly putting the glass down and looking at the woman he loved. With a sigh, he closed his laptop and took her hand in his so they could go to bed together. She tried to protest, telling him to keep working, but he was tired anyway. And for once, he would like to fall asleep at the same time as Ana.

Once they got to their bedroom, Ana stopped for a second, before she smiled at Christian and tiptoed to kiss him. He smiled back, closing his eyes and taking Ana to bed, but when she strode him and started undoing his shirt, he got what she had in mind.

"Ana … babe …" He stopped their kiss and took her by the shoulders. Her eyes were full of lust, and her fingers tracing the lines of his chest as she said in a heated whisper,

"I've been thinking … she's quite far you know. If we're quiet and you don't make me scream …"

Christian pondered for a moment. On one hand, he would love to take her right then and there. On the other, he still had this vivid memory of hearing things he was not supposed to hear during summer vacation by the beach. And he didn't want to scar Grace like that.

"What changed your mind?" He asked as she leaned back to kiss his neck, grinding against him.

"Something Andrew said, last night," she mindlessly explained.

Andrew paid a visit to the girls every Monday, and Christian never cared, because he knew the man's story. But hearing another man's name in his girlfriend's mouth at this exact moment set something wild in him.

He brusquely brought her lips to his and gave her a bruising kiss as he rolled them over so he would be on top of her. In no time, the clothes had flown off, and he was ready to plunge into her and claim her as his. But Ana stopped him last second and reclaimed her position on top of him, before reaching for his nightstand to grab the condoms.

Once he was covered, she impaled herself on him, and they shared an intense and passionate moment, Christian sitting up to incessantly kiss Ana to keep their lovemaking as silent as possible, his fingers digging in her skin much deeper than he ever did.

They finished together, in a final silent exhale before Christian let himself fall backwards, taking Ana with him, the two of them out of breath. He felt sleep come to him quickly, but before he could even fathom the idea of rolling on the side and spooning with Ana, she was up and on her way to the bathroom. Christian groaned, doing his best to keep his ego in check. He knew that Ana always had a boost of energy after sex, but he still had that hope that one day, he would fuck her to oblivion.

He sighed and removed the condom, cursing at the object and finding yet another thing to dislike about it. They would never be able to simply roll over and fall asleep with him still buried inside of her. He discarded the rubber on his nightstand, but when he heard the water of the shower running, he decided to get up and go to the bathroom.

Though his nice sentiments quickly flew out the window when he felt the icy water Ana was using. He went to the sink and quickly rinsed off before brushing his teeth and feeling Ana's cold skin quickly embrace him from behind. She stood by his side to brush her teeth as well, only wearing her towel.

Christian admired her, seeing with a frown the red marks he had left on her shoulders. He placed himself behind her, kissing each one of them before undoing her towel, making her chastise him with her mouth full of toothpaste. He traced the clear print of his fingers that were bound to leave bruises on the skin of her waist and lower back.

He looked at her reflection in the mirror. "I'm sorry, babe." She rolled her eyes and bent over to rinse her mouth. And though it was a perfectly erotic view, he did not get aroused in the slightest.

"It doesn't hurt. At all. It was quite pleasant to have you so … _passionate_. I wish I could have screamed."

He wrapped her back in her towel and she folded it so it would stand on its own. "And there I thought you were a caveman and you liked the idea of marking me. I bruise easily, Christian. Stop being such a sensitive soul."

She playfully nudged him, and he snapped out of it. She didn't seem to be the slightest bit in pain during their lovemaking. But he had never marked a woman that way before, and for a moment, he felt that his jealousy had pushed him too far.

But Ana didn't care and was laughing about it, though there was one thing she should not joke about. "No man better see those marks. Or I'll kill him myself."

"Caveman," Ana let out, rolling her eyes, and he grinned. Then, as she took care of her face, he grabbed a brush and did her hair. Ana looked at his reflection in the mirror, puzzled for a moment, but she did not oppose.

"So … what did Andrew say that made you think of our sex life?" He questioned, doing his best to detangle her hair without pulling it too much. Ana looked for a special jar, and shrugged, not looking at his reflection.

"Something about Grace never hearing us when we were in London. Or even when we were in our flat in New York. And obviously, those places were smaller."

Christian froze for a moment, reminding himself that nothing happened between Ana and the Brit. Ana must have felt him freeze because she tried to turn, but he just cleared his throat and focused on his task.

"What did you talk about?"

"His loss, mainly."

This ought to stop Christian in this train of thought. Andrew still didn't pip a word about his loss, and Christian respected it. He had heard Ana insist that Andrew come to visit them in Seattle on a particular weekend of January, but Andrew had turned her down. Christian assumed it was the death anniversary of his late family and Ana didn't want him to be alone then.

When Christian put down the brush, Ana thanked him by gently pecking his lips, and they went back to their room where she slipped in her pyjamas. "You know, you could just sleep in the nude. I promise I won't mind."

She chuckled, still putting on the clothes and let him know, "I'm going to check on Grace."

He went to bed, not bothering with any pyjamas and feeling like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. They wouldn't need to schedule their lovemaking from now on. Between the meetings with CF Holdings and their silent nights, everything would be perfect. He tried to look at his agenda to see when he would be able to book Ana next, but without Andrea to make it look all fluid, he gave up on the idea and postponed that to the morning.

When Ana came back, she picked up their clothes and folded them before slipping in bed next to him, raising an eyebrow at his nakedness. He wiggled his eyebrows at her, holding her against him and kissing her neck, and she reminded him, "Shall I remind you that Grace rushes to our room when she's scared in the middle of the night."

Christian didn't need her to tell him twice. He put his pyjama trousers on and spooned with Ana, kissing her shoulder as he said, "I enjoyed having you by my side tonight, babe. I hope you did too."

She gently squeezed his arm to let him know that she did, and Christian was pretty sure that she would fall asleep within minutes. This was something he envied of Ana, her ability to fall asleep so easily.

He lovingly held her a bit tighter and asked, "Did you think of your Christmas present, babe?"

"Another date."

He rolled his eyes. "That's not a Christmas present. I can give you that any time."

"… A date with just you and I …"

Christian swallowed, kissing her shoulder with love and understanding the meaning behind the words. She didn't mind the evening, but she would have liked it better if it had been something more intimate.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

During the first week of December, Grace was over the moon. It wasn't hard for Christian to understand that, though she knew the Santa secret, she still loved Christmas just like any other kid. She marvelled at the first flake of snow, letting Christian know that she had never seen snow before. She had her mother take a lot of pictures to send them to Jin as well.

She was slightly disappointed that they wouldn't decorate their flat since they would be moving shortly before Christmas, and so Christian had Andrea find a home decorator to give the Christmas spirit to his place in Seattle, to surprise his daughter. But he knew that his parents were FaceTiming Grace almost daily as they decorated their own house for Christmas and that together, they decided on a golden Christmas.

Ana had already started packing, even though Christian told her over and over again that he could get movers to do it for them. But being the stubborn thing that she was, Ana didn't listen, saying that she knew what she wanted to leave, and what she wanted to bring. Christian didn't care much. If he missed something, he would just buy it in Seattle, just like he would do for the girls, even if he knew he would get a lot of complaints from a certain redhead.

Still, there was one thing he would not let Ana reign him in about: the Christmas presents. One morning, when he came in earlier than usual, he had found Andrea looking at a website, and every day, he found himself ordering something to be delivered straight to his parents, so Ana couldn't nag about it. It went from simple teddy bears in cute different outfits, to a whole treehouse for the cats.

His mother called him on the third day, making fun of him, but promising not to sell him out to Ana. Sure, he knew he couldn't use the Santa excuse, but he would be damned if he wasn't going to treat his daughter the day she was supposed to be spoiled rotten.

However, he still had no idea what to buy for Ana. The idea of just giving her a date was ridiculous. There was nothing special about it. He asked Andrea to find him what husbands usually gave their wives for Christmas, and nothing seemed to fit Ana. She was too simple for her own good.

He tried to remember what his father had offered his mother over the years, but unlike Ana, his mother liked jewellery and being treated with gifts. He never heard his mother complain when his father surprised her out of nowhere with something, and he knew that more than once, it had been his mom who dragged his dad to go shopping. So, when he woke up on Sunday morning, he still didn't know what to get Ana.

He checked the time, seeing that it was almost ten and that he had slept more than usual, not that he was surprised. He had spent most of the night making love to Ana, just because he wanted to do it. Nothing triggered his advances, nothing but the fact that he loved her, and that they were going to bed together.

For a moment, he just laid in bed, slightly grimacing at the empty side and Ana's habits of waking up with the sun. And he found his mind wandering to the previous night when Grace came to his office for her goodnight kiss.

_He was working from home, and he had video-conference after video-conference the whole day. People usually loved the Christmas season for its festive spirit, but it was the end of the year, and he always had more work then. December and January were always his busiest months, not that he ever minded. He liked keeping busy, and he liked going to bed knowing he had accomplished something._

_It was only when Grace came to his office, already in her pyjamas that he realised that he had spent the whole day working and didn't spend any time with the little girl. One of her cats followed her in and jumped on his desk to sit on his laptop._

_"Haha, Peanut wants to say goodnight as well," Grace laughed and Christian ignored the kitten, picking up Grace so he could spend five minutes with his daughter. He hugged her, kissing her cheek and she asked,_

_"What were you doing?"_

_"Just some boring work, sweetie. Sorry I didn't spend any time with you."_

_"No, it's okay. Mama said that you would be busy so you can spend Christmas with us. Is your work boring?"_

_"Yes."_

_"So why do you do it?" Her blue eyes were looking at him intensely, trying to make sense out of him, and he chuckled, kissing her temple as he corrected himself. "It's boring for kids. It's interesting for adults."_

_Grace frowned, not convinced in the slightest. "But you're not a kid. Maybe I won't find it boring. I think I should work with you and tell you if it's boring."_

_Christian laughed, picturing his little girl coming to the board and calling the shots. That would be something to see. But Grace looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to agree with her plan._

_"I'll take you to work one day," he promised, already knowing that Ana would chastise him for that. But Grace seemed so sure of herself, he couldn't find it in his heart to refuse her that simple thing._

_"Good," she grinned, sitting up straight and feeling so important. Christian smiled and Grace carefully studied his office before she asked,_

_"What are the five things you will put in the box?"_

_"What?"_

_"Your five things. When we came to New York, Mama made a special box with the five things that are the most important. Like if we lose the rest, we still have the important things."_

_"Oh, I see," Christian said, though he had no idea what he would put in said box. Anything he would lose, he could replace. "What are your five things?"_

_"Well, it was hard, but with Mama, we thought about it and I will put my dragon lamp. I wanted to put my teddy, but it doesn't fit. I'll have my bracelet from the hospital because it was when I was brave. The book Jin gave me. And the chessboard Pops gave me. Oh, and Grams, of course. We can't lose Grams Mary."_

_Christian smiled at the seriousness of her tone; she had put a lot of thought into it, it was obvious. He played with her braid, and nonchalantly noted, "Interesting. But, what about Gus and Peanut?"_

_Grace gaped at him, her blue eyes horrified, _**_"Mama said they were coming with us to Seattle!_**_"_

_"They are, I am just surprised that they're not in your box."_

_"But … daddy. They're not things. They're animals."_

_Christian chuckled once more, nodding and she looked at him as if he was the worst person in the world. "You did know they are animals, right, Daddy?"_

_"Of course I know that. Didn't you?"_

_She pouts. "Did you know that turkey is an animal too?"_

_Christian nodded, remembering Grace's confused expression when she saw the bird on Thanksgiving. She had asked her mother, and Ana had said that she would explain later. And since Grace never forgot a later, Christian assumed Ana had already burst that bubble._

_"Well, I didn't. And I told Mama I don't want to eat turkey anymore," Grace said, crossing her arms, her pout intensifying and making her even cuter._

_"What are you going to eat on Christmas? Nana and Pops make the best Christmas dinners."_

_"Well … I don't know. But I'm not eating an animal. Maybe I'll ask Nana to make me a steak."_

_Christian rolled his eyes, and said without thinking, "Steak comes from the cow."_

_Grace gasped in horror, her blue eyes wide and teary, and Christian immediately regretted his words. Especially when Grace declared, "Nooooo! I am not eating steak either!"_

_"Sweetie … that's the circle of life. Animals are meant to be eaten," he reasoned because, after all, they were at the top of the food chain. Grace got down from his lap and put her fists on her hips, and Christian couldn't help the small smile as she reminded him so much of her mother at that right instant._

_"Are you going to eat Peanut and Gus?"_

_"No. They're cats. We don't eat cats," he promised, but Grace was already in activist mode,_

_"But we eat poor little turkeys and poor little cows. Well, that's not fair. I saw a cow in London and … and … and it stunk. But … it's not nice to eat them because they stink!"_

_"So what are you going to eat?"_

_She was at a loss of words for a moment, clearly not having thought so far in the future, but then, she had an illumination and said, "What the stinking cows and poor little turkey eat."_

_Christian repressed a sigh. He had expected this coming from Ana, not Grace. But he knew he had it coming sooner or later. He was about to try and argue that some animals eat others, but Ana popped her head in, scowling at Grace._

_"Honey, you said a quick kiss. It's been half an hour. Time for bed."_

_Grace stood on her tiptoes to kiss her father, and she walked to the door to take her mother's hand. Ana smiled at him, but when she was about to close the door, Grace shrieked and rushed inside, struggling to take Peanut from Christian's desk, and throwing daggers with her eyes at her father. She didn't trust her cat to be alone with the animal-eating-monster that he was._

_Christian laughed when she closed the door and went back to his work. An hour later, Ana knocked, coming in with a hot plate of food, making him realise that he wouldn't have eaten if it hadn't been for Ana bringing him food and water throughout the day. She put the plate down, but when she made a move to leave, Christian spun her around to sit her on his lap._

_He glanced at the plate and saw mashed potatoes with broccoli and lean chicken, and he smiled to himself, moving so he could kiss Ana's neck as he asked, "Is this the last time I'm eating chicken?"_

_Ana chuckled, "Probably."_

_"I may have spilt the beans about the whole cow thing."_

_"Well, to be fair, I've been thinking about it for a while, now. I just didn't want to impose that on Grace. But it is more eco-friendly, and we have to leave a healthy planet to our daughter."_

_He repressed an eye-roll, doubting that the actions of their little family would impact the grand scheme of things._

_"What about _**_our_**_ health? I'm no doctor, but last time I checked, we need protein to survive."_

_She pointed at the broccoli on his plate. "And last time I checked, veggies and legumes have tons of proteins. That's why we give it to the animals, so they can give it to us. We're just cutting the middleman."_

_Christian "hmphed", not fully convinced, but not caring in the end. He was sure Grace would get bored quickly and change her mind once her food would not be as good as it used to be. So, he changed the topic, moving Ana a little so he could eat but keep her by his side._

_"So, do I get to know what your five things are?" He asked with a smile._

_"What are yours?"_

_"I only have two, and I've been made aware that I can't put people or animals into boxes."_

_She laughed, playing with his hair before she told him, "I'm pretty simple. It didn't take me hours like Grace. I have a few photo albums. A few letters. Grace's first outfit. The book I bought with my first paycheck. And …"_

_She touched her necklace, and Christian put down his fork to do the same. It was a simple amber on a simple silver string and there was rarely a time when he hadn't seen it on her. Unless it was a fashion faux pas with what she was wearing, Ana always had it around her neck._

_And yet, every time Christian had given her jewellery, Ana only wore it on some occasions. She never wore a bracelet or a necklace he gave her, just for the sake of it. And … it wounded his ego. The fact that she would constantly wear something someone else had given her, probably another man, but would always be difficult when it came from him._

_He let it go before he did something rash and stupid like ripping it away from her, and he refocused on his food. Once again, he was cursing at the five years they lost. If he had played his cards better then, she never would have been wearing someone else's jewellery._

_"It's from the guys and Grace," she said, making him look back up. "They gave it to me this year for my birthday. I usually don't like celebrating the whole thing, and this year was even worse. But Jose tricked me by getting Grace involved. I couldn't refuse and upset her. Not when …"_

_Christian nodded, understanding that given Grace's fragile health at the time, Ana feared that upsetting their daughter might cause her harm. But it was not on this topic that he commented._

_"I thought you loved celebrating your birthday."_

_She shrugged, uncomfortable, and he heard what she wouldn't say. Her last birthday with him was tainted with the memory of what happened between them. And it was something she had never been able to forget because she had a living reminder._

_It was only at that moment that Christian realised how special Grace was. She had been conceived on her mother's birthday, and she was born on his._

With a shake of his head, Christian came back to the present and got out of bed. After passing by the bathroom, he went straight to the kitchen, his stomach growling for food, but what he wasn't expecting was to find Raymond sitting in his kitchen and speaking with Ana as if it were nothing.

Ana smiled at him, whilst Christian sat next to her and scowled at the extra lawyer in the room. "Haven't you heard of office hours, Wilks? It's Sunday!"

Ana squeezed his arm and he looked at her before kissing her. He poured himself some coffee, still glaring at Raymond, who had the indecency to smirk and eat another cinnamon roll as he lightly said,

"I'm just trying to convince a certain missy to let me help her with her move. But _some_ _people_ are born stubborn."

Christian frowned, turning to Ana for more explanation, but she just shook her head, her eyes on the clock with a worried expression on her face. "Grace should be up, by now. I'm going to check on her."

Christian stopped her from moving. It was barely half-past ten. "Let her sleep. It's normal for kids to sleep in."

"But … she usually wakes up around nine. I just want to make sure she's okay."

"Let her sleep. If she's sleeping in, it's because she needs it. Now, what's that about the move? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Raymond is just finding a lame excuse to enjoy some baked goods off the clock."

Raymond rolled his eyes, though Christian noticed that he was halfway finished with the cinnamon roll, and he wouldn't put it past the lawyer to come just for the food.

"I'm just saying, Ana, if you're going to be pro bono, it would be good for you to be affiliated with something. Whether it's a firm, an association, a politician. You need someone to back you up."

Christian grimaced, never having been fond of politicians. He always made sure to never endorse any one of them during electoral campaigns because he truly despised that species.

Raymond caught his look, and explained, "I know how you feel about politics, Christian. But think about it. The best way to protect kids is to change laws, and contrary to popular beliefs, lawyers don't do that. _Politicians_ do." Then he turned to Ana, "I know someone who thinks quite like you, and —"

Christian interrupted him, turning to Ana with a small grin as the full meaning of Raymond's words registered to his mind. "You're taking up my offer? All of it?"

Ana shrugged, still looking at the clock as she said, "I'm _thinking_ about it. I've also contacted a couple of firms specialised in business. But Raymond keeps pushing."

"Oh, push away," Christian said to his lawyer with a smile. Anything to get Ana to follow her dreams. He was about to ask what category of children she wanted to help, when Grace came in, whining in a sleepy crying voice,

"I'm itchy, Mama."

Ana jumped out of her seat, glaring at Christian for not letting her go to their daughter when she felt like it was necessary and she gathered Grace in her arms, repressing a gasp when she saw the little girl. She was covered with red spots from head to toe, scratching her arm, and her eyes heavy with sleep.

Ana sat Grace on the counter, keeping her face smiling as she asked the little girl if she slept well. Grace nodded, still scratching her arm, and Ana asked Christian to stand by Grace so she could grab the thermometer and check her temperature.

Once he was in front of his daughter, he put his palm on her forehead and knew that she was running a fever. Grace was still scratching her arm, and Raymond leaned over the counter to take it in his hand, examining the spots warily.

"It looks like chickenpox," he mumbled, but loud enough for Ana to hear as she was back with the thermometer. Christian immediately prevented Grace from scratching any further, remembering his mother doing the same for Elliott and him to prevent scars. But he didn't like the way Raymond was now looking at Ana.

"Have you had chickenpox, Ana?" Raymond asked, and Christian had this nagging feeling. He remembered his parents being happy that the brothers got the chickenpox at the same time, but he couldn't remember why.

Ana dismissed Raymond, walking to Christian and Grace as she said, "I don't know. _Who cares_?!"

Christian immediately took Grace in his arms, and took a step back from Ana, preventing Grace from scratching herself. He knew there was a reason why it was a good thing to have chickenpox whilst you were young, but he couldn't recall what it was.

Raymond glanced at Christian, obviously looking for his words, though Christian wasn't sure if it was to reassure Ana, or not scare Grace. "Maybe … you know, chickenpox is harmless to children. Just a few bad days when they have to learn to not scratch. And Christian is immune … you …"

Ana glared at Raymond, taking another step toward Christian, but once again, he backed away, not caring about her shocked expression. "My child needs me. Give her to me, Christian."

"Ana … chickenpox for adults can be …" He glanced at Grace. "lethal."

"That's ridiculous. I've never heard of that," Ana dismissed, going to Christian and trying to take Grace.

Christian kept his daughter secure in his arms and put a much bigger distance between Ana and him. She looked at him with betrayal, but he didn't care. All he could focus on at that moment was the fact that Ana could die.

Raymond looked at Christian, and benevolently said, "Maybe a warm bath with oats will do some good." This was enough to tear Christian's gaze away from Ana, so he could glare at the lawyer

"I'm not putting my daughter in porridge," he said, once again stopping Grace from scratching. He could tell she was tired because she did not ask a single question, which was very unlike her.

"It helps stop the itching," Raymond countered, and Christian had to concede that anything to help his daughter was good. So, he grabbed a pack of oats, and went to the bathroom, hearing Raymond and Ana argue in the kitchen as soon as he left it.

Once Grace was in the tub of water with oats all around her, she seemed to regain some life, and giggled, "I'm a raspberry now."

Christian chuckled, keeping to himself that given the fact that she was covered with red spots all over, she did look like a raspberry lost in porridge.

"Can you be good for ten minutes?"

"Yes."

Christian smiled at her and kissed her forehead before thoroughly washing his hands and arms in the sink. Then, he went to his bedroom, calling Taylor as he packed a suitcase for Ana, grabbing her laptop and her purse before getting back to the kitchen where she was still arguing with Raymond.

"_Out_."

"_Excuse_ _me_?"

"You heard me, I want you out," he said, as Taylor arrived just in time.

Ana took a deep breath, and glared at both Raymond and Christian, putting her hands on her hips as she said, "The two of you are being ridiculous. No one dies from chickenpox, or we wouldn't be more than seven billion on this planet! I'll take my chances, but I'm not leaving my baby alone, especially when she's sick! You two are insane if you think that —"

"I don't care what you think. I want you out of here, now!"

"What if she had gotten sick three months ago? Or at the beginning of the year? I was all alone to take care of her. Do you think I would have —"

Once again, he cut her off, "_I don't care_. You have two minutes to get out of here, or I'll ask Taylor to drag you out of here himself."

"Don't be ridiculous. Where am I going to stay? Who's going to take care of her? You? What about the rest of the week?"

Christian pushed the suitcase in Taylor's hand, as well as Ana's bag, and he took a menacing step toward her, not that she cowered away. She stood her ground. "I still have the room in Esclava, and I will take care of Grace for the week. You need to be out of the way. You are of no use to us, right now."

Ana looked at Christian as if he had slapped her, but this barely lasted a second. She cleared her throat and walked into the kitchen to take out a pen and paper. Then, after leaving the note on the fridge, she walked out of the apartment with her head high, and Christian let out a sigh of relief.

.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, something happened at the end of this chapter. Something quite hard for Ana that made her back away. It has to do with her insecurities that have been mentioned several times … can you guess?**

💚** And something has been shown in this chapter, but Christian didn't even notice. So … have you?**

💚**Now question time,**

**1\. Okay, finally, they got over having sex in their own home. Hihi.**

**2\. What do you think Christian will get Ana for Christmas? And what will Ana get him?**

**3\. And what did you think of the moment between Christian and his brother? And Elliott's feelings about parenthood and brotherhood?**

**4\. And what about Jamie? How do you feel about him? Still bad news?**

**5\. And Grace is sick. How do you think Christian will manage that?**

**6\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? Mine was Grace taking her cat away from her Dad.**

**7\. And what do you think will happen next?**

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	24. Chapter 22: Mistletoe, Yellow Tourmaline

**My dear little broccolis💚💚💚**

**💚 So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

💚** Also, i****f you want pictures of the story, just check out my Facebook group, Mina's Broccolis, and you will find pictures as the story unveils. And a few sneak-peeks here and there as well.**

**‼️ABOUT THE REVIEWS‼️**

**1/ So, finally, people are seeing the light and starting to see the flaws of a certain man. Haha. I promise, the story the end justifies the journey, so just bear with me, and see where ii am taking you.**

**2/ There are also some people who do see a certain relationship for what it is. and another for what it is as well. But I don't want to say too much, haha. **

**3/ Now, Ana's insecurities will be tackled on, next chapter, or at least explained, don't worry.**

**4/ And I just want to point out, there is a difference between being smart, and being knowledgable. Ana has never been around kids, and never had the chickenpox herself. I know MANY adults who didn't know that it could be dangerous for adults, and actually, a friend of mine caught it and was hospitalised a few years back. She doesn't know about chickenpox, because she never had to deal with it, like most of us don't know about the things we don't have to deal with.**

**5/ And remember Esclava is a hotel in New York in this story, it has nothing to do with the OG place. **

**‼️DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW‼️**

💚** Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy **💚

**Chapter 22:**** Mistletoe, Yellow TourmRos & Irish Hot Whiskey (14,1K)**

**So this title is well …. The mistletoe is quite obvious, the yellow tourmRos is because of the theme at the end of the chapter, and the whiskey, because it's something people drink on Christmas. ^^**

Christian looked at the empty space left by Ana, but he shook off the nagging feeling inside of him. Surely, she understood that they couldn't risk her catching some silly child's disease and dying over it. He ignored Raymond and his intense gaze and mumbled that he had to go back to his daughter.

As he carefully rinsed his daughter off, he made a note to call his parents and ask them how to take care of chickenpox, and how long it lasted. He had told Ana that he would take care of things, but the truth was, he didn't even know how to take care of Grace full time when she was healthy, even less when she was sick.

When he asked her what she wanted to do, Grace said that she wanted to go back to sleep, but Christian insisted that she should have some breakfast, so Grace followed him to the kitchen, asking about her mother when she saw that only Raymond was there.

Raymond pushed the note that Ana left in Grace's direction, and Christian read over her shoulder the memo that Ana wrote.

**Mama is giving you and Daddy some alone time. **

**I will call you soon, but in the meantime, be good. **

**Love, xoxo**

Grace looked up at her father with teary eyes. "Is Mama leaving us?"

"No. Of course not. She is just giving me the chance to take care of you."

Christian watched his daughter nod, though it was clear that she was not convinced, and then she asked if she could go back to bed. He helplessly watched his daughter go back to her bedroom, unsure of what he could tell her or do to make her feel better.

He tucked her in, glad that her kittens were around as they jumped on her bed and curled up against her, purring to conjure the disease away.

Christian returned to the kitchen with his heart heavy, having completely forgotten about Raymond, until Raymond asked, "Do you want me to ask Carla to come and look after her this week? Chickenpox usually lasts around one week."

Grateful, Christian was about to say yes, when his eyes fell on Ana's note to Grace, and he stopped himself. He didn't want Grace to feel like both her parents were abandoning her when she was sick.

"No, I'll bring her to the office and set her up on the couch."

"You sure? Carla won't mind. She loves Grace."

"Yes. I'll feel better having her with me."

Raymond nodded and finally got up from the kitchen counter, saying that he should go. His eyes were still on Christian, holding back what he was thinking, and so Christian snapped, "Say what you want to say or go. Just stop looking at me like that!"

Raymond raised an eyebrow, and for a moment, it seemed that he would keep to himself what he wanted to say. He was halfway to the door when he turned and stared at Christian. "You know … I never pictured you as a heartless man."

"I don't care how you picture me, Raymond. I care how you keep my business in line with the law."

"I know you don't care about my opinion. I just thought you'd care about how you made _the mother of your child_ feel."

"I'm not going to stand by and let her get exposed to something that can kill her," Christian snapped, and Raymond held his hands up in peace.

"I get that. I don't want Ana to die either. No matter what you think, I care about her. But still, you just told in cold blood to a mother that she was useless to her sick child. And it's not just any mother. It's _Ana_."

"She'll get over it. She knows what I meant," Christian dismissed, rolling his eyes. Ana knew he only had her best interests at heart.

"You do realise that the last time Grace was sick, Ana almost lost her. Ana spent sleepless nights, thinking of how her daughter might not wake up in the morning. And there was nothing she could do. Nothing but watch her only daughter get sicker and sicker by the day. Do you have any idea how it feels? Losing a child is not a natural thing, Christian."

Christian knew that Raymond and Carla had lost a boy in a car accident years ago. It was even sadder because they couldn't have children, and they adopted all their kids. Raymond rarely talked about his loss, but Christian still knew that it had been their first kid, the only one they adopted as a baby. He also knew that for a whole month, the child had been between life and death, before they decided to pull the plug when his brain activities ceased.

But that didn't give him the right to lecture Christian. In fact, Christian knew exactly how it felt, that fear of losing a child.

"I _know_ how it feels. And I don't want to feel that sensation when it comes to the love of my life."

"Actually, you don't know how it feels, Christian. For three months Grace was sick before she was diagnosed properly. Ana went to see you as soon as she had a solution: you. You came, maybe you anticipated, but you don't know how it feels. Because you came with the hope, whilst Ana stayed in bleak desperation for three months.

And even now, your child only has chickenpox, and you can't bear the idea of leaving her alone, even though you know you could. And yet, you threw Ana away, telling her she was useless, whilst all she can think about is the last time her daughter was sick, she almost died.

Imagine if the roles were reversed, for a moment. Imagine Ana telling you that you're a terrible father and that you're useless in Ana's and Grace's lives. How would that make you feel? You didn't even let her say goodbye to her kid, how is that not heartless?"

When Raymond was finished with his tirade, he left and Christian was feeling like shit. All he saw was putting distance between Ana and what could endanger her, and he never tried to think of how she would feel. Especially knowing her insecurities concerning her motherhood.

No matter how many times Christian had told Ana that she was an amazing mother, there were still those times he would catch a little self-deprecating comment in what she would say. His mother said that it was because Ana felt that she had failed Grace from the start by having a cryptic pregnancy, but she didn't give him any solution on how to reassure Ana that she was doing a terrific job. According to his mother, this was something that he couldn't impose on her, something that she needed to see by herself.

He tried to call Ana, to apologise, but he went straight to voicemail. For a moment, he had a terrible feeling of déjà-vu. This was how she cut ties with him the last time. But after a couple of minutes of pure panic, he reassured himself. Ana would never leave her daughter. If she were to leave him, she would no doubt take Grace with her.

So, with a sigh, he checked on Grace who was sleeping under the surveillance of her kittens, and he picked up his phone. He texted Andrea so she would get the maid home as soon as possible (he had no idea how to cook, even less so for a sick child), and then he called his parents.

Both assured Christian that chickenpox was nothing and that he should just make sure that Grace didn't scratch herself so she wouldn't get scars. Just like Raymond did, they recommended oat baths (though Christian didn't remember being dipped in porridge as a kid), but also to wrap her hands in oven mitts so she wouldn't scratch herself in her sleep.

They also agreed with Christian that Ana shouldn't stay with them if she didn't know if she had chickenpox as a child, and Christian paled when Carrick started listing all the ways it could go wrong for adults, until his wife shushed him, probably sensing that Carrick was worrying his son more than anything.

Still, they both inquired how Ana was taking the separation and showed their surprise that she didn't put up a fight. Just like Raymond had reasoned, his mother said that it was uncharacteristic of Ana to leave her sick child behind, especially after what happened the last time little Grace got sick. Christian didn't linger on the topic, not eager to get a lecture from his parents about the way he kicked Ana out of their apartment.

He did, however, ask Andrea to send fifteen red roses to Esclava, along with a box of fine dark chocolate. He would try to call Ana later when she would have time to cool down and appreciate the chocolates.

Originally, Christian had planned to spend the day working in his office, but he took his laptop and sat on Grace's sofa, the one that had the shape of Toothless, and worked from there. She woke up a couple of times, faintly smiling when she would see him in her room, but always inquiring about her mother. Each time, she refused to eat, but as his parents had told him, he made sure that she drank a full glass of water.

Carrick had told him that she would sweat a lot due to the fever and that his main concern would be to avoid dehydration. When Christian mentioned his worry about the food intake, Carrick brushed it off. According to him, children never let themselves starve, and when she would be hungry, she would eat. He even joked saying that it was why Elliott's hunger strikes never lasted in his youth.

At some point, Christian heard activity in the penthouse, but he knew it was just the maid, probably cleaning the kitchen and making the bed in his room. Still, in the middle of the day, he had the surprise to hear someone call his name. It tore him out of his work, and Grace out of her slumber,

"Uncle Karl?" She got out of her bed, looking like a zombie, and Christian followed her out of her room, surprised to find Karl in the living room, but even more surprised to find two suitcases behind him.

Karl picked up the little girl, kissing her cheek as he let them know, "Your Mom called and said that you looked like Madam Mim. I had to see that for myself."

"Does that mean I will get magic power like her?"

"I don't know. Did you try to turn into a cat?"

Grace furrowed her brows, clearly trying to morph into an animal, but then she sadly shook her head, and Karl kissed her cheek once again, telling her,

"I brought the cartoon though. So, we can watch it together."

"Can I, Daddy?"

"Of course, sweetie. Do you want to eat something?"

She thought about it for a moment and shook her head. Karl set her up on the couch as Christian brought the comforter to his daughter, and Karl lowly explained, "Ana just thought that you might need some help for the week. She's asked Jose and me to come to make it easier on you."

"Where is Jose?"

"At work. He'll come here after."

Christian nodded, relieved that Ana thought of that because he clearly had no idea of what to do. The bath had been awkward enough for him, and just a simple dip to help Grace's rash. At least, when they moved to Seattle, his parents would be nearby to assume that kind of task.

He kissed Grace's forehead as her head rested on Karl's lap, and he reminded the man that she needed to drink. Then he went to his office to keep on working, only to be interrupted an hour later by Jamie. He frowned, clearly less happy to see Jamie than to see Karl.

"Ana called. I thought I could relieve some work from you," He said, his tone ever so professional, and Christian had to admit that it would be better if Jaimie worked with him. Sundays had always been tricky for him, because half of the globe was already starting their next week, and he had many businesses in Asia and Oceania.

So, he gestured for the man to get in, and they were only interrupted by Grace coming to sit on her father's lap for a hug after FaceTiming her mother. She had obviously been crying and was visibly upset, however, she confided in Christian that Ana had promised lasagna, waffles, and hot cocoa when she would come back.

Around nine, Jose came home with a couple of pizza pies, but Grace barely ate her slice, and it seemed to only worry Christian. Both Karl and Jose brushed it off, saying that she would eat better the next day. Still, Jose gave something to Grace that gave back a little bit of life to the little girl, her mother's necklace.

He told his Goddaughter that Ana had asked her to keep it safe for her, and Grace reverently put it around her neck. And at that moment, Christian was sure of two things. First, he would buy a similar necklace for Grace for Christmas. Second, Jose had seen Ana, and given the cold shoulder he gave Christian, he was not impressed with him.

After dinner, Grace asked if she could sleep with Christian, and he agreed with a smile, though he knew he was going in for a week of sleepless nights. He tucked her in, and she cuddled against him, softly crying that she missed her mom as she fell asleep. For a moment, he did nothing but watch his little girl sleep in his arms, peaceful but feverish, her hair already sticking to her skin. And he felt a lump growing in his stomach.

How many times in the past had Ana had that exact position? Whether it was for Grace's liver failure, or for benign illnesses such as the flu. How many things that seemed mundane and unimportant had he missed? Was Grace going to resent him as she would grow up? She was still young, and she clearly didn't understand the implications of his absence as a baby. But as she would grow up, she would.

Would she be as forgiving as her mother, or would she make his life a living hell for abandoning her before she was even an idea? He was far from being the perfect father, especially compared to his brother who took in a kid that wasn't even his own and raised him as if he was his firstborn.

Even now, even though he was present in his daughter's life, he still missed a lot of it. He messed up the routine they had by the end of summer, and only called her because Ana called him beforehand. Even with Kalie's deliberate free slots, he always had so much work that Ana had to be the one to remind him of his damn kid.

But neither girls ever complained about it. Grace understood that he was "busy", and Ana knew where his priorities lied. So, he shouldn't feel guilty doing what he liked, and providing for his girls.

With a sigh, he shook his head and kissed Grace's forehead, before leaving his room with the door slightly ajar. He found Jose and Karl in the kitchen, arguing in hushed whispers, and when he cleared his throat to make his presence known, the way Karl avoided his eyes made him sure that they had just been talking about him.

Jose harshly looked at him but did not speak a word, and so Christian asked, "I need to go for a couple of hours. Is that okay with you?"

Jose nodded, his gaze still hard, but Christian didn't linger. He was sure that Ana went on a rant to her best friend, and that Jose had many things to tell him that he was keeping to himself for Grace's sake. Or Ana's. Of which it was, Christian couldn't be sure.

He grabbed the keys for the Range Rover, even though he didn't particularly like driving those kinds of cars. At least, when they were living in Seattle, he would have his collection of sports cars back. Though Ana might argue that he would not be allowed to drive Grace around in them.

He drove to Esclava and went straight to the suite he permanently had there, feeling this odd little thing inside of him as he realised that it would be the first time in years that Ana and he would be in this room.

_He was in a video call with Paris, listening to Nicholas trying to convince him to invest in yet another branch in the food industry. So far, wine and cheese had been prolific, and he couldn't complain. But then again, France was known for those products, and just having the little tricolour flag could boost a sale. _

_But he was not so keen on investing in a restaurant food chain. It felt he would be wasting his time and money. The restaurant business could be a dangerous mistress, and Christian would rather not dip his toes into it. If he was going to make a risky bet, he would rather do it in something different. _

_Nicholas was still trying to sell all the advantages of his plans when Anastasia popped in the room with his breakfast in hand. He greeted her with a nod and found himself smiling like an idiot when he saw that there was a piece of cake in addition to what he had ordered. _

_It was a treat she would have for him from time to time, and it would always make him smile, because of that banter they had around it. _

_As she deposited the food on the table, he only paid half a mind to what Nicholas was saying, saying just a couple of words to prove that he was paying attention, but Christian was solely focused on Anastasia's ass. The hotel's uniform was sinful. Or on her it was. No matter how modest it was, with the figure she had, it was sinful. _

_What he wouldn't give to close his laptop and bend her over the table, to swipe away the food and make her scream his name as he would fuck her into oblivion. A beautiful ass being fucked by a beautiful view. _

_When she turned around, he looked back at the screen, and she gave him a polite nod, making her way to leave. He held his finger up to stop Nicholas for a moment, and he let her know, "There is something for you by the TV."_

_He then gestured for Nicholas to go on, he would have time to explain some other day the meaning of the bracelet. Probably the next day, when she would come early and would catch him out of the shower. How he loved the way her eyes travelled over his body. It was enough to make any man bigger than he was. _

_He originally planned on getting her a necklace, but the one he wanted was being held for an exhibition, and overall, it wasn't bad. He might have been obsessed over fucking her with nothing but that necklace on if he had purchased it. Just like he was slightly obsessing over seeing her with her hair down. He knew it wasn't the hotel's policy, because he had seen a couple of girls with their hair down. So, it was little Miss Anastasia who was stubbornly keeping her hair up, most of the time in an elaborate bun. _

_If Anastasia was one thing, it was classy and elegant. As he had told her many times, she belonged as a client in this hotel, not part of the staff. _

_He was busy explaining to Nicholas the cons of opening a restaurant when he saw from the corner of his eyes Anastasia going back to the table where she had set his breakfast and put down the box with the bracelet in it. Was she really going to refuse a simple gift?_

_He held his hand up and pressed the mute button as he told her before she could even open her mouth with some stupid excuse, "I know how the tipping system works in this hotel. So, take the bracelet and do whatever you please with it. Keep it, sell it, gift it. It's yours."_

_"I can't accept it. It would be inappropriate, sir," she said, and he rolled his eyes. She knew very well that their encounters had been far from appropriate over the past few months. In fact, she knew very well that he would love nothing more than to make their encounters even less appropriate. But she didn't seem like the kind of girl to mess around in her place of work, and he couldn't blame her. He never fucked people he worked with. Well, he stopped fucking period for a while now._

_"Don't you accept tips?"_

_"Yes, but —."_

_"No matter the amount?"_

_"Yes, but —."_

_"Then, this is my tip to you. My way to ensure that no one else gets it." He stated, starting to get annoyed. How hard was it to accept a fucking bracelet? What if he had gotten her the whole set? She might have had a heart attack, then. _

_He glared at her as she put the box on the coffee table, and she argued once again, _

_"That's why it's inappropriate, sir. As you said, we share the tips, and it wouldn't be fair to my colleagues for me to not follow the rules. Besides, I doubt that some of my coworkers would like to wear that bracelet."_

_He sighed, pushing the box towards her and not taking no for an answer. "I haven't seen any other of your colleagues in this room. And sure, I may have requested to have you specifically over the past couple of months, but that's because you've always done as asked, and you don't snoop around, unlike some of your colleagues. And I like the little personal touches you've made, like giving me breakfast with a view or making sure I have extra water when I come from a long flight, or those sweet cakes I keep getting ... The tip is for you, and you only." _

_He waited for her to accept the damn box, and when she did, he looked back at the screen, unmuting Nicholas who was looking at him with curiosity. He saw that Cho was trying to contact him as well, so he would have to wrap up France quickly, and Anastasia gave him one of her beautiful smiles as she said, _

_"Thank you, Mr Grey. Make sure to enjoy your cake. You might not get one for a long time."_

_He frowned as she left, Nicholas pressing him to just try to be a small and silent partner. For a second, Christian felt lost, before he understood. If she thought that withholding cakes would stop him from buying whatever the fuck he wanted to tip her with, she was sadly mistaken. _

_Of course, he only understood what she truly meant a couple of hours later, when he saw the box on the little table by the door. And though he should be annoyed, the first thought that crossed his mind was that one thing was for sure, Anastasia was not a gold digger._

As he entered the room, Christian shook off the cold feeling he had to have it so quiet. He checked the living room first, and then the master bedroom, but of course, if Ana was mad at him, she would not stay in his room. So, he went to what used to be her room and hesitated about knocking.

But he went right in, squinting his eyes as he didn't see her at first. She was laying on the bed, on her side and in the foetal position. Her laptop was set up on a chair in front of her, but the screen was dark, and he couldn't tell if she was sleeping or not. She didn't react to look at him, only throwing the covers over her head as she said,

"Go away."

Her voice broke his heart. She had obviously been crying all day, and he could hear the tears threatening to spill some more. He walked closer to her, not bothering to switch on the light, and she repeated, her voice a bit stronger and not betraying her emotions this time, "Go away, Christian."

Without giving her much of a choice, he laid beside her, on top of the covers and took her in his arms, removing the cover from her head as he profusely apologised,

"I'm sorry, babe. I am _so_ sorry. I never meant for you to feel like that … I … I just got scared."

At those words, she burst into tears, bringing her hands to her face, and as she did so the cover brushed over her laptop, bringing it to life. Christian's eyes naturally went to it, and he saw what had her crying all day long. She was on the CDC webpage, a part highlighted, specifying that people who had transplants in the past could have complications when they had chickenpox.

He held her closer to her, turning her so she could sob in his chest and he closed her laptop, kissing her hair as he assured her, "She'll be okay, baby. I promise"

"You don't know that!" She accused, sniffling to stop herself from crying. She looked up, her blue eyes red with endless tears and she strongly told him, "I want to see my baby, Christian. I don't want her to die thinking that I abandoned her."

"She's not going to die, babe. I promise. She's been okay all day. Just hot and itchy. Nothing more. All will be well."

She shook her head, leaning against him and finding a way to blame herself. "I should have known. She has been eating less this weekend. And she's usually up early, whereas this weekend she woke up late. I - "

"You're a terrific Mom, Ana. But you're not a seer. You can't predict everything. Chickenpox least of all."

"I want to go home to my baby, Christian," Ana pleaded, and he felt on his shirt that she was crying again. For a brief second, he wondered how she managed to have such a strong voice that did not betray her feelings when her emotions were all over the place

"Babe … I can't let you come back. Not now. What if you get sick? What if _you_ die?"

"I don't care, I'll take the risk. I might not get sick."

"_I_ won't take that risk," he said, his voice raw with emotions. "Grace wouldn't want you to get sick. How do you think she will feel growing up if you died because of her chickenpox?"

Ana sobbed against his chest, and he tightened his grip on her, kissing her hair once again. "I promise all will be well, babe. She'll be with me 24/7."

He waited for her cries to calm down, shushing her and promising her that Grace would be okay. It took him an hour of coaxing, but finally, Ana stopped being so negative and accepted the reality that it was better for everyone if she stayed away for the upcoming week.

When he felt that she would soon fall asleep, he had a flashback of how he put Grace to sleep the exact same way. Still, he remembered something that his father had always told Elliott and him: don't go to bed angry.

"Babe? I _really_ am sorry for the way I spoke to you. It was uncalled for. I was just terrified. You are anything but useless. I would have been a headless chicken without you. Thank you for calling the guys, and Jamie. Thank you for taking care of us from afar."

She nodded against his chest, and he put his finger under her chin so she would look at his grey eyes, and see the sincerity of his words,

"I love you." She nodded again. "Forgive me?" She nodded a third time and he smiled, pecking her lips. She gave him back a small smile, and he rocked her to sleep.

Once he was sure she was asleep, he tucked her in, just like he had done with Grace, and left her room. In the living room, he left her the black card she had always refused, with a note that explained she could use it if she wanted anything.

**_Babe, this is not me trying to buy your affection or forgiveness,_**

**_I just want you to enjoy this week. _**

**_After all, it's the first time you are on your own since you've had Grace. _**

**_So, go crazy, try to forget the reason you're here. _**

**_Go shopping, go to the theatre, go to a restaurant. _**

**_I know how you feel about me paying for you, but I want to do this for you. _**

**_Enjoy this unexpected week (not too much though, you're not single anymore, remember). _**

**_Please, _****_please_****_, do it on me. Take it as an early Christmas present. _**

**_I won't ask for anything else, I promise. _**

**_I'll call you in the morning, so you can talk to Grace _**

**_Love, Christian. _**

Then, he passed by the reception, just to remind them that all expenses for the penthouse were to be billed to him. He also asked them to have fifteen red roses delivered to her first thing in the morning every day of the upcoming week.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Though he had hoped otherwise, sickness did not make Grace a still sleeper. She moved and thrashed as much as usual, even punching Christian in the face and creating a very distinct black eye for him. Which he did not hesitate to complain about to Ana when she texted him to thank him for the flowers.

**Look what your daughter did to me during the night. How am I going to justify that without sounding ridiculous? No one will believe a four-year-old can bruise someone like that! ~ Christian **

**Oh, so now she's just MY daughter? I see how it is. I'll keep that in mind for when she'll do something extraordinary and will remind you that she is MY daughter. ~ Ana **

**Though, if I had been home, I could have sort of covered that for you. Maybe you should ask Andrea to get you a makeup artist. Jose and Karl aren't really interested in makeup. ~ Ana **

**No. I'll be a caveman and say I saved a baby orphan panda from smugglers. That ought to bring me bonus points. ~ Christian **

**Yes. And it is so believable, especially in this part of the world. You're a real hero, Christian. We should make a statue to sing your prowess (eye roll) ****~ Ana**

**It's only proof of my prowess to sleep with Grace. I deserve a medal. ~ Christian **

**Try to see it on the bright side. She could have punched something else (laughing face)****. ~ Ana**

**… I am terminating this conversation. If she knees me in her sleep, it will be your fault because you have jinxed it! ~ Christian **

In the car, on their way to the office, Grace talked to her mother via FaceTime. Though she was still extremely tired (even after having spent the day sleeping) she was still excited at the idea of going to work with Christian. Especially when Ana boosted her up, saying that she was much cleverer than her father and that she should show him how it's done.

When they arrived at the office, Andrea was already there, as per usual, and she let Christian know that Ana had already called to let her know that Grace was coming. Andrea had rearranged the small sofa that was on the corner of his office, with blankets, colour books and crayons.

She had also set up a laptop so Grace could watch movies, and many small water bottles, alongside carrot and cucumber sticks, as well as cherry tomatoes and a few berries.

"Kids don't really like to eat when they're sick. So, it's always better to have them eat their water when they do," Andrea explained. Christian nodded and laid Grace on the sofa as the little girl said that she would help him in the afternoon when she would be less tired.

As he sat at his desk, Andrea gave him his coffee and told him,

"Mr Miller is already here. He is with Mrs Baileys, talking to HR. Before I give you your schedule for the day, there are a few things I must tell you.

Miss Steele called and I have arranged for a doctor to come and visit Grace, just to make sure it's benign chickenpox and nothing more. He should be here at 10. He's the best paediatrician in Manhattan. I already have an NDA prepared for him.

Miss Steele also mentioned your … nightly misfortune. And I managed to find a makeup artist that should be here any minute. If you're satisfied with him, he is happy to come back every day until the bruise is gone."

Christian nodded, repressing a grimace at the idea of having makeup on. But he didn't want to spend the whole day justifying himself, and he knew that Roger would have a field day if anyone saw him with a shiner.

"I want you to move all meetings I have today so they can happen here. And let them know beforehand that …" He glanced at Grace who was half asleep, half watching the laptop. "They should keep things PG … and quiet."

"Yes, Mr Grey. Do you want me to check as well if they're immune?"

"Yes. And cancel any meeting after five. I'll work from home in the evening."

"Very well."

She got up and left, only to buzz him a minute later and let him know that the makeup artist was there. Christian told her to let him in, and the man did not waste time in small talk, going straight to Christian and leaning him on his chair.

Christian saw from the corner of his eye that Grace briefly raised her head to see what the stranger was doing to her father, but she seemed too tired to ask questions. Ros and Jamie came in whilst the artist was still busy camouflaging his black eye, and Ros immediately snickered as soon as she saw his face,

"Oh, Christian, who gave you that beautiful shiner? I need to send them a card for putting you back in your place."

Christian glared at her, pointing at Grace as Jamie was sitting in his usual chair, and Ros marvelled, grabbing something in her bag and going to the little girl. From his chair, Christian surveyed the situation, hearing Ros lie through her teeth as she explained to his daughter that he talked about her all the time. He rarely talked about his personal life. And she gave Grace a pop-up book.

Grace studied the book, clearly more interested in the mechanics of it than the story, but then she put it on the side and slumped back to her initial position. And as he looked at this from the corner of his eye, he couldn't help but be grateful that Ana had a doctor coming to make sure all was well. He was not used to Grace being so down.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

In fact, Christian was grateful to Ana for many things. He was sure that Ana had made sure that Jamie would drag him out of the office at five so he could spend some time with Grace at home. Of course, Jamie followed them there, but he worked on his own for an hour whilst Christian bonded with his daughter.

There was also the maid who came every day to make them breakfast and dinner, even though Christian didn't specify that to her. And most importantly, Jose and Karl. He had no idea how he would have gotten through the week without them.

They assumed their responsibilities of Godfathers much better than Christian did his fatherly duties. Karl even took upon himself to show Christian how to properly wash the little girl, and how to make a decent high ponytail.

Andrew also came to visit, like he did every Monday, and he brought the puzzle of a white dragon for Grace. She had been delighted, despite her fatigue.

The doctor had assured Christian that it was completely normal for Grace to be tired and to not eat. Just like Andrea had told him, he recommended Grace drink as much as possible and eat her water as well. And he also recommended putting some cream on the most persistent spots, though he agreed with Raymond and his idea of bath porridge.

Ana called three times a day, and Grace always waited for her mother's calls with impatience. Every time, she started the conversation by saying that she still had the necklace safely with her, and it only comforted Christian in his decision for a Christmas present.

It was now Wednesday, and he had put Grace to bed. She was feeling slightly better, though she was still spotty, and she was eating more than she did over the past few days. Though she still tried complicated acrobatic choreographies in her sleep, Christian didn't have the heart to put her back in her bed. Not when she was sick and missing her mother so much.

He found Jose and Jamie deep in a conversation, whilst Karl was reading, curled up in a corner. Over the past few days, Karl had been the friendliest with him. Jamie always made sure to never cross the line of professionalism, not that Christian wanted to. And Jose … Jose was clearly holding what he thought of Christian for himself.

Christian had learned via Karl that he was more than Grace's Godfather, he had been there for her birth. He was the one who convinced Ana to go to the hospital when she spent the night having cramps, he was the one who held her hand as she pushed Grace into this world, the one who cut the umbilical cord. The first one to hold her and give her a bath.

In many ways, Jose was more a father to Grace than he was. And though he would always be grateful for his presence, a part of Christian was jealous of this thing Jose shared with Ana and he would never share with her.

Yes, he could give her a second child, but even if he knew that deep down, she wanted to, he didn't. One child was already enough in his life, more than he had ever wanted, and even if he couldn't fathom a life without Grace, he knew she was enough. So, he had to come to peace with the fact that there were things that only Jose would ever share with Ana. Like their earrings.

_Christian looked at Ana, gorgeous as always as she was standing beside him for yet another business function. She was wearing an elegant red dress, with the top made of velour, and the skirt made of sateen. He loved the colour red on her. It made her look … deliciously sinful. _

_As per usual, her hair was up, though she had two thin curls falling on her temples, bringing attention to both her neck and ears, ornamented by the set he had gotten her. Diamonds in the shape of leaves_.

_She was breath-taking, and for the evening, the world would envy him not just his professional success, but for the girl on his arm. He knew it. He saw how some men, regulars to these kinds of functions, would look at her with envy. But she was his. For as long as the contract was enforced, she was his and his only. _

_She must have felt him staring, because she turned her beautiful radiant face at him, cocking an eyebrow up, and he directed the conversation toward something that had nothing to do with what he was thinking, _

_"That's new," he pointed out, slightly touching the small ring on her tragus. She beamed at him as if he had told her that she had just won the lottery. _

_"Yes. Jose and I got it for our one-year anniversary."_

_"Oh …" Was all he had to say. Jose and Ana had this relationship that was obviously strong, but he never thought it was to the point they would do something so definitive together. _

_And somehow, it bothered him. She had physically engraved marks of her friendship with that Mia girl, and now Jose, and he wanted the same thing. He wanted to leave something on her that would always remind her of him, no matter what would happen between them. _

_"Are _**_we_**_ going to get something for our one-year anniversary?"_

_"I was thinking of making you a croquembouche since you like sweet things so much," she said as if it were nothing, her eyes lost in the crowd, proof that she didn't think he was being serious. _

_"I can think of something else that is sweet that would satisfy me just as much," he whispered in her ear, his breath caressing her skin, but his lips remaining at a safe distance. _

_She playfully glanced at him, her beautiful blue eyes gleaming with mirth as she said, "Na-ha. What do I keep telling you? You can't have the baker and the goods. Besides, I never understood why girls are referred to as sweet when they are … _**_salty_**_ all the way."_

_He burst in laughter as she wiggled her eyebrows at him, and rested his hand on hers when he recovered, his trail of thoughts not derailed from what he originally wanted. "But I was thinking of something more permanent than a pastry I'll eat within the hour. Something like … this." He traced her leg all the way to her ankle, making her shiver under his light touch. _

_He held her gaze for a moment, doing his best to not look at her plump lips, but to stare deep into the blue of her eyes, all the way into her soul. Her breath caught in her throat as his hand remained on her ankle, and for a moment, the world didn't exist. It was just Ana and him, in their own little bubble and nothing else mattered. _

_So, he broke the connection and cleared his throat, playfully saying, "On second thought, it would be a bad idea. Knowing you, you, you would have me get a tattoo that will shame me for life."_

_She blinked and quickly recovered, grinning, "Totally. Something along the lines, 'I'm a hottie, but I'm a perv. Beware'."_

Christian sat by Karl's side, and Jose and Jamie stopped their conversation, looking at him with curiosity. Christian usually stayed in his room after Grace fell asleep, working next to his sleeping daughter until he would go to sleep himself. Or try to go to sleep given Grace's nocturnal antics.

"So … I was hoping you could help me, Jose," He started, aware of the three pairs of eyes on him, though he only focused on the Hispanic man. "What should I get Ana for Christmas?

"She said she already had that conversation with you, and she already told you what she wanted?" Jose pointed out with suspicion, and Christian repressed a sigh.

"Yeah … She asked for a date. Last time I checked, a date isn't a present of any kind."

He felt, rather than saw, Karl move next to him, closing his book, but he kept his eyes on Jose. Jose was the one who knew her best, he was the one who would be able to help him get something appropriate for her. Not just _a date_. The very idea of gifting her a _date_ was insulting. As if it was all she could ask of him when it was the bare minimum in the relationship they had. He wanted to marry her, for Heaven's sake, and she was still asking for simple _dates_. How many times would he have to tell her for her to believe that he loved her? For her to say the words back. With her mouth, not with her actions.

Jose looked at Christian for a while, before he slowly said, weighing each of his words, "But that's what Ana wants. She wants that little bit of time when it's just the two of you. And she wants more than two seconds stolen in an office."

So, it seemed that Jose knew about the office sex that they had. Not that Christian was ashamed. There was no shame in making love to his woman, even less on top of the world. In fact, Christian had promised himself to one day take her to Dubai and fuck her on top of the Burj Khalifa.

"If you absolutely have to make it a big deal, transform the date into a weekend," Jamie said, forcing Christian to look in his direction, all the while doing his best to keep his dislike to himself. "Take her away just for a weekend. She will love you for it."

No matter how much he disliked the man, he had to admit that this idea appealed to him. He still felt it wasn't much of a present, but it would mark her much more than some silly date lost amongst the other. He could arrange for his parents, or Elliott, to take care of Grace. Especially knowing that he needed to go to Dubai sometime in January.

He was only comforted in his idea by Jose who added, smirking, "Yeah, make it a weekend. Somewhere hot, because she loves the heat. She sent me so many emails complaining about the rain in London."

Christian nodded, his phone already in hand so he could get Andrea to look at his schedule in January. The last week would be perfect. It was when he usually checked on his investment in real estate in Dubai. Twice a year, once in January, once in July.

Still, he wished he could give her something that she would be able to hold, something real and not fleeting like a memory. It must have shown on his face because Karl cleared his throat and said,

"If you absolutely want to get her something material, why not get her something personal and meaningful just for the two of you? Not necessarily something that blings, but … something like what she got you for Thanksgiving."

Once again, Christian nodded, keeping for himself the shame that he still didn't open her present. He could go now and see what it was, but he didn't want to make it obvious that he had completely forgone the present she had for him. Moreover, knowing Ana, it was probably some trinkets that would echo their past banter.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The next day, Grace was feeling much better and her fever was gone, even though Christian still had to remind her every now and then to stop scratching herself. She was done with watching cartoons, all too consumed with her new puzzle that she had insisted on bringing to his office. She said that he would need to keep it, so his office could have some dragons because it was sad there were none.

He had an early lunch with Grace, happy to see her eat again like a normal child, and then left her in his office so he could participate at a video conference. She was feeling good enough now and barely paid attention to him, anyway. Still, Andrea promised to keep an eye on her.

He was the first one in the meeting room, his brain going to the upcoming trip he had to make to Seattle. After Ros's incessant pleas, he had decided to take an intern, and she had found the perfect one for him, so he needed to check out the candidate.

Now, Ros was still in New York, interviewing a few candidates to replace the disaster that had been Theo, and Christian kept pushing for her to just poach someone out of another company. He did believe in starting from the bottom, Jamie was the perfect example of that, but he also believed that it was untenable to form a fresh graduate to the level he expected of Ros and Jamie. Only someone who already had their feet in it would fit.

He was lost in his thoughts when he received a picture that made him fondly smile and momentarily forget about his work issues. Ana was standing in front of a mirror, with nothing but black lingerie and her heels.

**I want you to mark this day in your calendar, I bought something with your card. I think I deserve a treat. ~ Ana **

**I can think of a treat … a good treat that's been longing for you all week. When you come back, I'll treat you so good, you'll be the one on bed rest for a week **🍆🍆🍆**. ~ Christian **

He watched the three dots indicating that Ana was responding to him, but his grin faded away when he heard two distinct voices, bringing him to the present.

"Well, that's a sight I could get used to," Ros said salaciously.

"That's something I did _not_ need to see," Jamie whined, with a grimace on his face.

Christian glared at the two of them, quickly putting the phone in his pocket and annoyed at the interruption.

"You're married. Keep your eyes on your wife," He growled at Ros. He already had enough on his hands with Jamie, he didn't need Ros to start lusting over Ana either.

Ros rolled her eyes, sitting next to him and nudging him in the ribs. "I'm married, Christian. Not blind. Only weirdos like Jamie don't get aroused when they see a beautiful woman with so little clothing. And even Helen agrees to say that Ana's hot. Maybe we should propose her a nice threesome. I'm sure Ana is bored in bed now."

Christian's glare intensified, and he fisted his hand beneath the table as he hissed between his gritted teeth, "Keep your eyes and hands to yourself and stay the fuck away from my wife."

Jamie whipped his head to him, as Ros echoed, "Wife, eh? I had no idea that you popped the question already. Though you're right, someone like Ana, you should snatch up as soon as you know. I would have made a move on her if I wasn't married already."

Christian ignored her, opening the file in front of him with a temper, and doing his best to ignore Jamie's eyes on him as well. Jamie never talked about Ana. In fact, he never talked about himself, making sure to keep professional and personal separate. And Christian was far from minding. He would just like it more if Jamie's personal life had nothing to do with Ana.

He was sure that Jamie wished Ana had sent him the picture of her in lingerie, and a part of him felt smug that Jamie saw that. She was his, and Jamie would never be anything to Ana.

Still, he made sure that Jamie understood that what had been said in this room would remain in this room, though he addressed Ros, keeping his eyes on Jamie, "I haven't asked her yet. It's in process. So, keep quiet."

"Depends, are you going to invite me to your wedding?" Ros teased, and Christian rolled his eyes, finally looking away from Jamie.

"Depends, are you going to ogle my wife then too?"

"Nah, my wife will be with me. I'll be too busy scowling at her ogling your wife."

Christian rolled his eyes once again and cleared his throat as the other attendees of the meeting were coming in. Ros had always liked to tease him about his lack of love-life, and ever since Ana came back in his life, she loved to tease him about his new love life. And it seemed that she liked nothing more than to get under his skin and get him jealous, even though he knew that she was happily married to the love of her life.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The month of December flew by at an extreme speed. It only felt like yesterday to Christian when Ana came back to their apartment, Grace clutching her as if her life depended on it. In fact, he was sure that this brutal separation made the girls even closer than they were before.

In all honesty, he barely had time to spend with the girls. Between his travels to Seattle and Europe, and his late nights in conference calls with the rest of the world, Christian barely saw the girls. But Ana still made sure that he would wish goodnight to Grace, and she would send him random pictures of the two brunettes in New York every now and then.

Grace had been delighted by the snow that came, and Ana took plenty of pictures since it was the first time Grace was seeing real snow. According to Ana, she was a bit disappointed that she wouldn't find snow in Seattle, but Ana always managed to curb her disappointment by reminding her that she would spend Christmas with her family.

Work-wise, Jamie was still with him (and still spending time with Ana whenever they were in New York), and he was helping Christian with his new intern. Roxanne. He was quite happy with this acquisition, because even though she was doing an internship because she was new to the world of business, she already had a career elsewhere, and therefore she already had life experience.

They moved to Seattle a few days before Christmas, and Christian loved being back in his hometown. Grace had been over the moon by the Christmas decorations they found waiting for them, though she pouted a little when she realised that her room was still not next to her parents. Not that her parents minded.

One thing that Christian particularly appreciated over the month of December was the fact that Ana and he made love almost daily. In fact, there had been some days where his only solace had been to know that he would get to go home and lose himself in the arms of the woman he loved.

He did take her out on a couple of occasions, when he received business partners, or when he had a function, and Grace managed to get the promise out of him that he would take her out as well one day so she could dress in a beautiful dress, like her mom.

Now, it was Christmas Day, and Christian was with the girls at his parents' house around the golden Christmas tree. He had promised Ana to keep his business calls to a minimum if they stayed with his parents, and so far, he had managed to stick to his promise. Jose and Karl had followed them to Seattle to celebrate Christmas with them, though they needed to go back by the 28th. And _of course_, Jamie had been invited.

They were all unwrapping their presents, Ana clearly put out by the amount that were labelled for Grace, but she did not say a word. Amongst her many gifts, Grace received a bike with all the gear from her Uncle Elliott, an illustrated version of the Lord of the Rings from his father (which Christian judged out of her age, but he knew that his father was a fanatic trying to pass on his passion), a couple of fish from his mother (and now, he was sure that Grace would ban eating fish at home as well), a whole set to make traditional candles from Ana, an aquarelle set from her Godfathers and a cat tree from him.

Of course, she also had many other things to which Ana only pursed her lips, under his kisses and Elliott's laughter, but when Grace opened the necklace, he had gotten her, there were two very different reactions. Grace jumped in his arms and immediately asked to have it around her neck. But Ana slightly furrowed her brows before harbouring a radiant smile, though Christian could tell she was just pretending.

Ana had mostly gotten people homemade things, and everyone appreciated the time and effort she had put in the gifts. And the gifts she received were all very … personal. Apparently, he was the only one who didn't know his girlfriend well enough. Strangely enough, Jose and Karl had nothing for her. Or it seemed this way, because the way Ana and Jose looked at each other, it seemed that they had exchanged gifts away from the prying eyes.

Elliott's gift was the most troublesome to Christian. A diary, with a handmade cover and recycled paper. Exactly the kind of thing Ana liked. But … what need would she have of a diary when she had him to talk about anything that could trouble her. It seemed that Elliott was pushing Ana to keep secrets from Christian, and he didn't like it one bit.

Carrick got her a teddy bear. A simple brown teddy bear with a big red bow and it made Ana smile like a child. For a moment, Christian was destabilised, because if anything, Grace should be the one receiving that kind of childish gift, but then he understood. Ana never had that gesture in her life. A father gifting her something to ward off the nightmares, and Carrick acknowledging that, and fulfilling this thing that she never had must have struck a chord.

And his mother gave Ana a book he had seen many times in his youth, the recipes she had inherited herself from her mother. It seemed that everyone had understood that Ana appreciated the personal value of the gift, more than the monetary value. Everyone but him.

Before she turned to his presents, she opened the slim box from Jamie but never revealed what was in it, even though it clearly shook her. For a brief second, Christian thought she was going to cry before she closed the box and mouthed thank you to Jamie, who had the audacity to look smug and happy with himself.

And of course, everyone decided to be polite and not ask about the content of the box.

Then it came time for Ana to open his gift, and he suddenly felt like shit. He should have stuck to the weekend away and nothing else. But of course, she had to open the other one first. He was almost tempted to snatch it off her hand, but she still opened it. It was a charm bracelet, with little charms from every country they went to. He had Andrea work around the clock to find them in time.

Ana frowned at first, a polite smile on her lips until she got the meaning of the bracelet, and she leaned to kiss him, before clasping the bracelet around her wrist, and Christian felt a wave of relief. At least he didn't completely blow it. When she opened his envelope, he was half paying attention, answering Grace who was asking if she could get a big tank for her fishes, so he was surprised when Ana kissed his cheek and whispered in his ear that he was the best.

He turned to her, and she smiled brightly at him, beaming at the idea of a weekend getaway with him. And so, he kissed her, not caring about his family around them, not caring about Jose and Elliott cheering them on, not caring about Julian making a disgruntled sound. All he cared about was this smile he had put on his girl's lips.

When they broke their kiss, she was still smiling brightly, though she was obviously embarrassed, and he pecked her cheek before focusing on his presents. He had stopped caring a long time ago about presents, mostly because anything he wanted, he could get it himself.

So, he mostly opened his presents to humour Grace who was more excited than him to see what he got. As he had expected, he received a few trinkets from his family, along with the eternal socks and ties, not that he could blame them, he wanted for nothing, so there were no big gifts for him.

Grace had gotten him a frame of New York with the girls in it, so he could have a picture of them in his Seattle office as well. And she had also made him a bowl made of glass. Apparently, she and Ana went to the glass factory to blow him something special.

Though he did not say a word, he was surprised that Ana had picked that out of all raw material, glass was his favourite. In fact, he had always thought that, had he not made it as the successful businessman he was now, he would have blown glass for a living. There was something mesmerising and powerful in seeing the hot red glass expand until it had the desired form.

Ana also made something out of glass for him, two little animals. An elephant, and a panda. And he knew that the panda was a last-minute addition, after his shiner by Grace. She also had for him cufflinks with a matching tie clip and miniature representations of all his cars.

He smiled at her, because, though Ana did not seem to even want to share his passion for cars, Grace had been quite impressed by her father's toys when she came to Seattle. He understood now that she had been in on the secret because her first reaction when she saw his cars was to say, "They look like —" before her mother stopped her with one look.

Finally, he found a rather thick envelope with Ana's delicate handwriting on it.

**To****: Christian. For you to open at your own discretion. **

**From****: Mrs Santa ^^**

For a moment, Christian was tempted to open it there and then, but then he decided to keep it for later. He folded the envelope and put it in his back pocket, not sure he wanted to open it in front of his whole family. Knowing Ana, it could be something quite naughty, especially since she signed it "Mrs Santa', and he didn't want to have to think of others in that case.

Still, he tried to probe and see where Ana's mind was as he whispered in her ear, "You know, you can still give me the present I really wanted. I'm pretty sure the envelope can't top that. All you have to do is stand and let me do the rest."

He had the box with him, just in case, it felt like the right moment to do it. She looked deep in his eyes, and for a moment, he felt that she knew exactly what he had in mind, that he wanted to propose. But she shook her head, a teasing light illuminating her eyes as she said,

"I know that nothing will ever top what's in this envelope. You'll see when you'll open it."

Once again, he pondered before deciding against it. "Tonight, babe. When it will be you, me, and the darkness of my room."

"Christian," she tried to chastise him, and he magically produced mistletoe so she couldn't refuse his kiss.

In fact, all day long, he chased her around with mistletoe in his hand, claiming kiss after kiss, only encouraged to keep doing so by the liquor his father gave him.

They spent the day as they usually did, except this time the house was much more animated than usual, to his mother's delight. The adults drank a lot of wassails, they all played many games, sang karaoke (to which Elliott, Karl and Christian had been forbidden to sing after two butchered songs). Grace played dress-up with Jason and her grandparents.

And Christian found every excuse in creation to have Ana in his arms. Mistletoe, to protect her against bubble attacks, to pout in her arms when he lost a game. Every excuse was good to have her in his arms and to kiss her. Even more, it became even funny, when Julian, in his typical moody teenager way, complained that they were "sickeningly sweet".

"You're just jealous you can't do it with your own date," Christian retorted, stealing another kiss from Ana, and Julian's ears became red like Santa.

Of course, Ana and his mother tried to chastise Christian, but he couldn't care less. He was not sure if it was the alcohol, or if he was just happy, but he was on cloud nine. Things didn't seem so bad after all. Even Jamie being here wasn't so much of an issue after all.

When they all went to bed, it was past two in the morning, and Christian was definitely more than tipsy. He liked to think he wasn't drunk, but rationally speaking, he knew that she shouldn't blow in an FST.

As soon as they were in his childhood room, Christian engulfed Ana in a bear hug, and kissed her with passion, quickly helping her out of her white woolly dress. All-day long, this had been in the back of his mind. All he thought about. Slipping her out of her dress, and kissing more than just her lips and face.

"You are so beautiful, Ana. So fucking beautiful," he said, undoing her bun and setting her hair wild.

Then, he laid her on the bed, caressing her skin, but when he cupped her breast over her bra, Ana moaned in complaint, "Christian …"

"Babe …" He responded, grinding against her and sucking on that spot he knew she liked on her neck.

"We're at your _parents_."

"And I was a teenager, once. I sneaked girls into this room, and no one ever knew about it."

"Well … that killed the mood," She said with a laugh. He frowned, trying to get her back to her horny state. Alcohol always made her horny and bold.

"You know what I mean, babe."

"Christian … How would you feel if I tried to lure you to bed in Jamie's house, telling you about the guys I fucked in the past?"

He groaned, rolling on the side and knowing that she was right. If she had been the one saying that, he would have thrown a fit. Or taken his jealousy out on her. But then again, Ana never showed any sort of jealousy. Not that she had any reason to be, but sometimes, he wished she would, it would show that she cared, that she loved him.

Ana pecked his lips and he turned to caress her face, preventing her from getting up and probably going to get ready for the night. "You really are beautiful, Anastasia Steele. The most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on."

"And you really are drunk, Christian Grey. But it's okay, I love drunk Christian. He's always fun to be around. Maybe I should get Jamie to get you drunk occasionally, so you'd come home like that."

His jaw tensed at the mention of Jamie, and he recalled how she had kept his present hidden from the world. This was as good a time as any to ask about it. "What did he get you? A spare key to his place to come and see him when I'm not here?"

"_What_? Don't be ridiculous. It was just an old memory."

Christian hmphed, and Ana looked deep in his eyes, something in her expression changing as she closed her face. He was about to apologise when she smiled, kissing his lips and getting up to look through her presents. Then, she gave him a picture in a frame and sat back next to him.

It was a picture of the Philadelphia Museum, with a bunch of little kids in front of the steps that Rocky made famous. There were eight kids. Ranging from four to what seems to be fifteen. And at the far right, he saw a young brunette of maybe seven with blue eyes, her arms protectively swung across a little mixed kid standing in front of her.

None of the kids in the picture were smiling. In fact, some of them were scowling. But Christian only focused on little Ana. The picture seemed to have been taken in summer because all kids were in T-shirts. She had her hair up in a messy ponytail and was one of the kids scowling at the camera. He saw the discoloured patches on her arms, the way she looked too skinny, the way her clothes were obviously too big for her.

But he also saw why this almost made adult Ana cry when she opened her present. This was the only picture she had of her childhood. The only proof that time passed, that she had been a child once. The only thing she could show her daughter when Grace would ultimately ask about her mother's past.

And suddenly, he felt a surge of anger against Jamie. This was the one thing he would never be able to give to Ana. A past. And Jamie fucking Miller came on his white horse and dropped that picture on her lap. She would never remember anything from this Christmas, anything but that picture. That picture was bound to be one of the five objects Ana will want to put in her box in the future. And _Jamie_ had given it to her.

Twice already he had tried to find something for Ana, something to give her back her past, but both times the PIs came back empty-handed. Whilst fucking Jamie had this picture with him.

"Where the fuck did he get that?" He asked, more abruptly than he had meant. Ana retook possession of her precious picture and put it aside with the rest of her presents, before cuddling back against him.

"He just goes back to Philly from time to time. I guess he's braver than me. But he says that he'd like me to come with him next —"

"Absolutely not!" Christian cut her off, before cursing himself. Once again, alcohol made him sound much curter than he had wanted. Ana looked up and blinked before she stated the obvious:

"You don't like Jamie."

Christian got up and looked for a shirt in his old wardrobe as he played with words. "I never said that. He's amazing at his job, and I said I'll stand by your side. It's just … how would it look if my girlfriend goes out of state for a whole weekend with my trainee?"

He threw a shirt on and removed his jeans. As he did so, Ana's envelope fell from his pocket, and he put it on the stack of presents, ready to jump in bed and take his girl in his arms, but as he did so, Ana murmured, almost to herself,

"It's funny how you get to be offended if I don't accept your presents, but you constantly dismiss the ones I have for you."

With guilt, he recalled that he still did not open the Thanksgiving gift, and so he took the envelope, enquiring about what he left in New York. "I'm sorry about Thanksgiving. What am I missing?"

"Nothing, really. It's just a stupid deck of cards that made me think of you," She said, sitting up and putting her chin on her knees. He sat in front of her, ignoring how alluring she was in just her underwear, and he apologised.

"I'm sorry, babe. I should have opened it at once. But nothing you get me will ever be stupid."

She shrugged, and he kissed her, looking back at the envelope. "Shall I try to guess?"

"You can try."

"Is it coupons for unlimited, wild sex?" She rolled her eyes. "Is it … you admitting by writing that I got the cake, I ate it, _and_ I got the baker?"

"Not even close."

"Is this …"

"Just open the damn envelope, Christian. I'm knackered, and I want to sleep a little before dawn."

He chuckled and tore open the letter. In hindsight, he wished he would have taken the time to open the envelope properly, Ana had obviously taken the time to make it herself, and it held the best present he had ever gotten. Hands down. In fact, he was glad that she had put this little warning at the front. She knew him well enough to know he wouldn't want his family to see him like that, choking on his emotions and blinking to keep his tears at bay.

**_Grace Marianne Grey_**

Grace had his name. _His_ name. So many times, since he had learned about her, he had been annoyed at hearing _his daughter_ referred to as Miss Steele, but he never said a word to Ana. Mostly because he knew he was to blame. If it hadn't been for her illness, he would have done his best to stay out of her life, and he certainly wouldn't have wanted her to have his name.

So, he had figured this was something he would have to bear. Grace would only have his name when Ana would. But Ana, being the attentive person that she was, must have picked on his annoyance, and she gave him what he never dared ask for.

He saw how his Gerald Thomas's name was also on the paper, which made him feel that Ana had taken care of everything and that starting from this day, Grace was a Grey.

He looked at Ana, who was expectantly looking at him, and he grabbed her face, kissing her with love and passion. "You're amazing, you know that?"

His hands were all over her, but unlike earlier, it wasn't out of lust, but out of love. Love for this woman who knew him so well that she knew of the things he kept inside him, this woman who was always by his side when he needed her, this woman who not only gave him a daughter but a hearth, a family.

In the blink of an eye, he got rid of his boxers and his shirt, and he played with her clit, making her as wet as he was hard, his lips never leaving hers. She moaned against his lips, but broke their kiss, trying to be reasonable, but all he wanted at this moment was to connect with her the only way he knew how.

"Christian, wait …"

"Please, babe. Don't ruin this for us." He aligned himself, pushing her panties to the side, and she once again tried to bring reason in the midst of their loving passion.

"Christian. We don't have any condoms. Please."

"I'll pull out, babe," He promised, plunging in her and loving feeling her so warm and wet around him. She could say what she wanted, but condoms were taking away something from their lovemaking.

He started going in and out, immediately looking for her mouth again, but she had turned her face, her body incredibly still, and it was as if a bucket of cold water fell on him. He immediately retrieved himself, sitting on the edge of the bed and not daring to look at Ana as shame and guilt consumed him.

His heart was hammering, and he felt bile rising up, but he refused to throw up. He felt … _dirty_. He felt like a creep. Worse than a creep. He felt like …

He heard Ana get up and go to the bathroom, but he did not dare look at her. With a shaky hand, he grabbed his pyjama trousers, and put them on, still struck by what just happened. He had no idea how long he remained sitting, looking into the void and doing the best to ignore the way his brain was screaming at him. Of all the fucked things he had done in his life, this was probably the worst.

He heard Ana coming out of the bathroom, but still did not dare look at her. If she packed up, took Grace and left in the middle of the night, he couldn't blame her. But he felt her lay in the bed, the faint smell of coconut invading his nostrils. He turned, only to see that she had her back to him, but she had braided her hair and was in her PJs.

"Ana …" He started, his voice cracking. How could he tell her how sorry he was? How disgusted by himself he was? He would love to be able to blame it on the alcohol, but he knew it wasn't excuse enough. There was never an excuse for that kind of behaviour. Just some fucked up people behind it.

"I'm just tired, Christian. Goodnight," She said with a cheery smile, kissing his lips, and Christian felt his bile come back up. He hated that she felt the need to make _him_ feel good when it should be the other way around. He reached for her arm, but stopped himself, trying once again to apologise,

"Babe … I—"

"It's nothing, Christian. Really. Stop beating yourself up over it and get to sleep," She said, laying back down, her back facing Christian again.

He looked at her, replaying the scene second by second. She had wanted it, but she did mention the lack of condoms as well. And instead of listening, he coaxed her even more, imposing a compromise she never agreed to. And …

And she seemed too fucking comfortable and used to this situation! This seemed nothing like the Ana he knew, the Ana who assured him time and time again that she could defend herself, the Ana who did not hesitate to challenge Jamie, despite his imposable size.

Ana always spoke her mind, and yet, at that moment, she had chosen inaction, and it almost felt like second nature. The way she became still, the way she turned her head to the side, the way she got up afterwards as if it was _completely normal_!

Once again, he felt a lump in his throat, and he got up, moving to be on Ana's side of the bed, crouching on the floor to look at her as he switched on the light. There was no trace of tears on her beautiful pale face, just resignation, and he asked, his voice wavering,

"You … you do know that I'd never … you do know you always have the final say, right?"

She gave him a reassuring smile, but he wanted to hear her speak. He had seen her play poker enough to know that he could not always read her face. She reached for his face, and he felt a strange mix of relief and disgust washing over him. She didn't recoil from him, but by all means, she should.

Shakily, he took her hand in his, kissing her palm, and he asked, his voice still trembling, "You … has … you … you've never had to do something you didn't want to, right?"

"It doesn't matter, Christian. All I care about is that you know me enough to have stopped. I really appreciate that."

As she said the words, something broke in him, and he fell on the floor, hiding his face in his hands. It wasn't because he stopped that it made the infamy any less ineffable. This was the second time he was reminding her of that fucking abject ex of hers. She might have not said the words, but he knew that fucking _Henry_ made her feel that exact same way.

"Babe … I … I don't want ever to make you feel like you _have_ to put out. That's not what I'm supposed to do. I'm supposed to make you feel loved, and cherished and worshipped. Not like … not like that.

And I don't want to feel like that either. I feel like a r… I feel like a creep."

"Christian," She said, putting her hand on his bicep and waiting for him to look at her. "You're not thinking clearly. Your brain is obviously mixing everything up. Just come to bed, please."

He looked deep in her eyes, trying to see if she meant it, or if she was placating him. But as she said, his brain wasn't all there. Even though the very thought of what happened earlier sobered him up, he wasn't thinking clearly, his mind heavy with sleep. Which was probably why he accused,

"This wouldn't have happened if you were on the pill."

She frowned, not happy that he brought up this topic, and she strongly said, "I told you, I don't want to take it."

"Yeah, but we are both in this relationship. It's not just about you. It's about _us_. We're both affected by your decision, and it's not fair. You shouldn't be the one and only making that decision.

And … it makes me feel like you don't trust me. It makes me feel like you think I'm going to dip it elsewhere the first chance I get and bring home some disease, so you need to protect yourself."

"You're really not making sense, Christian. You're being paranoid. I never thought you'd go elsewhere. I trust you. Now come to bed," She scolded him, but he was on a rant.

"You trust me? If you trusted me, you would take the pill. Because it would mean you would trust me with your health the same way I would trust you not to get pregnant behind my back."

"Is that how you feel?" She asked, and when he nodded, he saw something that made him feel even worse than before if it was possible. Something died in her eyes. He couldn't exactly say what it was, but a light died in her eyes as she said, her voice barely louder than a whisper,

"I'll take the pill if it matters so much to you, Christian."

"Babe …"

"Please come to bed. I'm tired, and I want to enjoy a bit of Christmas night in your arms."

He did as she asked, not saying another word, but it took him forever to find sleep. Ana almost immediately fell asleep, like she always did, and even though she asked for him to take her in his arms, and she was cuddled against him, she had never felt so far away.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, Ana received a diary. I will put entries of that diary in exclusivity in the FB group. They're like little bonuses. So, if you're interested in them, stay tuned in Mina's broccolis **

💚** And I don't think you're going to like Christian a lot in those next couple of chapters. Though I'm pretty sure he could kill someone in the most gruesome way, and some of you would still be okay with him, XD**

💚**Now question time,**

**1\. Okay, let's tackle the heavy first. Christian immediately stopped, and he does feel like shit for what happened. It's a thin line I am playing with because she did express that she didn't want to go further, but he did stop as soon as he felt that she wasn't in it with him. I know how it can come across, and this is exactly how he feels at the moment. So, without you guys attacking me, how do you feel about that moment?**

**2\. What did you think of Ana's present to Christian? And what do you think is in the Thanksgiving box? Just a stupid deck of cards?**

**3\. And the condom conversation came back, and did something to their relationship … I think it's obvious, but can you tell?**

**4\. And Jin is coming for New Year, whilst Grace is invited to Hong Kong for Chinese New Year. Isn't it just cute?**

**5\. And how do you think Christian handled that whole chickenpox thing? And he also has someone else who works with him ...**

**6\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? Mine was Jamie and Ros's reaction to the picture.**

**7\. And what do you think will happen next?**

💚** Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	25. Chapter 23: Purple Hyacinth, Garnet &

**My dear little broccolis💚💚💚**

**💚 So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

💚** Also, i****f you want pictures of the story, just check out my Facebook group, Mina's Broccolis, and you will find pictures as the story unveils. And a few sneak-peeks here and there as well.**

**‼️ABOUT THE REVIEWS‼️**

**(It's going to be a long one, haha)**

**1/ So, finally, people are seeing the light and starting to see the flaws of a certain man. Haha. I promise, the story the end justifies the journey, so just bear with me, and see where ii am taking you. And don't think I want you to hate Christian, it's just that the way he acts doesn't justify the way some people are lashing on to Ana, putting the blame on her and saying that everything is all her fault and that Christian is just a poor sweet innocent little fluff ball.**

**2/ Now about Ana ... I want you to remember a couple of things she said when they started their relationship. She said, in between words, that she knew where she stood. She also said that she knew what Christian expected out of their relationship. And as many of you have pointed out, I want ALL of you to remember that this story is said from Christian's pov. I never pretended to say that Christian was a reliable narrator ... And I also want you to keep in mind, that more than once Christian dispaired on the fact that he was so good when it came to business, but useless when it came to Ana. He never knows what to tell her, or how to tell her.**

**3/ Now, about Ana forgiving Christian with the whole chickenpox thing, I want you to remember that she was more concerned over losing her daughter than her own feelings at that moment. In a way, Christian got lucky because he caught her at a moment when she was emotionally drained by her worry for Grace. That, and something else that will be explained in a few chapters. So for those thinking she is a doormat, wait until a few chapters.**

**4/ Now about the contraception, y'all ... I don't care if condoms are a mood killer, if there are several other contraceptive ways, if someone says they don't want to take it, it's their rights. They don't even have to justify it. If I make someone a chocolate cake full of love and dedication, and the person says they don't want to eat it, I'm not going to ask for explanations. They don't WANT to. They shouldn't have to explain why, whether it's allergies, diet, sour memories or whatever. No, means no, no matter the circumstances. Moreover, she did say to Christian "my body, my hormones, my choice", which clearly means, it does affect her, and Christian is just too wrapped on himself to understand that.**

**5/ Also, I would like you all to remember something that both Elliott and Ana have told Christian at the beginning of this story about his commitment to his family and his relationship to work.**

**6/ And, this is my personal opinion, but there are NO excuse or justification. Tiredness, elation, drunkness, nope. You are a human being, act like it. Period. It's not even a question of law, it's a question of morals but that's me.**

**‼️DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW‼️**

💚** Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy **💚

**Chapter 23:**** Purple Hyacinth, Garnet & Midleton (8,1K) **

**So, this title. Garnet is the Gemstone of January. Purple hyacinths are the flowers to express remorse. And Midleton is a rare Irish whiskey. **

"Daddy? Daddy? Are you sleeping?"

Christian woke up with a start, Grace poking at his arm. He blinked at his daughter, the room dark due to the curtains, though it was obvious it was well into the day. He sat up groggily, taking in Grace.

She was dressed to go out in the cold, her hair hidden by a woolly beanie, her dress hidden by her coat, her fingers tucked in gloves. He blinked several times, trying to understand what was happening. He glanced at the clock, seeing that it was almost two in the afternoon, and he grimaced, feeling that he had wasted part of his day.

"Nana said I should check if you are sick. Do you have the chickenpox like I did?"

"Chickenpox, sweetie. No, I don't. I just …" He trailed off, not sure why he woke up so late and feeling so shitty about himself.

Grace started telling him that the boys and she would help Pops restore the treehouse, and a fleeting memory emerged of Carrick, Elliott and Christian struggling to build the treehouse until Grace came to help. His mother had always been the more handy parent, just like his father was the better cook.

Little Grace was trying to convince her father to help them with the abandoned treehouse, when Christian felt the blood leave his face, recalling why he was feeling so groggy. After incessant tossing, and waking her up a couple of times, Ana had insisted that he take a pill to sleep. Ana…he remembered what had happened the previous night, uselessly glancing at Ana's empty side of the bed, and he interrupted Grace talking about Jin and his upcoming trip to the US.

_"Where is your mother?_" He asked with urgency, fear paralysing his insides. Grace shrugged, not appreciating being cut off.

"Out. But I wasn't finished. So, Jin said he never saw the snow. So, it's good we're going back to New York for the New Year because there is no snow here. Pops says sometimes it snows, but not always.

Do you know why the snow doesn't go to some places? Because there was no snow in London either. It's not normal. The sun goes to sleep everywhere, so why doesn't the snow go everywhere?"

She looked at him expectantly, waiting for a rational answer, but he had no idea how to quickly explain the seasons and climate change to his daughter when he had no idea where her mother was.

"I'm not sure, sweetie. How long has your mother been gone?"

"Gone? Mama is not gone. She's out. She's on the swing."

Christian got out of bed, drawing the curtains open, and he saw through the window Ana sitting on the swing, her back to him. She seemed to be on the phone.

Grace walked to Christian and asked for his arms, and he took her in, kissing her cheek with love. Was this the last time he would get to hold his daughter? Was Ana on the phone with a lawyer, to get custody of his kid before he could even react? Was she arranging her return to New York? _London_?

He fucked up. Real bad. He fucked up to the point of no return. No amount of apologies or flowers would ever make up for what he did. He held Grace tight against him, appreciating what might be his last moments with her. If Ana asked for full custody, he wouldn't even fight her.

"Daddy, are you listening?"

"Sorry, sweetie, what did you say?"

Grace pouted, clearly not impressed by her father's lack of focus. "I said, I think Mama is sad because Uncle Jamie left. I think she wanted him to stay for the whole Christmas."

"Jamie's gone?" Grace nodded, and Christian put her down, taking his phone in his hands. He checked if he missed anything important that would justify Jamie leaving suddenly, but there was just the same few emails he usually got during this period of time.

"Are you going to work today?" Grace demanded, and Christian saw a couple of rapports that needed his attention, so he promised,

"Not much, sweetie. I'll still spend some time with you."

"Well, not now. Julian said he's going to teach me how to ride a bike. Maybe I should ask him about the snow. He is very clever, you know. He said he knows where _babies come from_!"

Christian nodded absentmindedly, before registering what she had said. She was already halfway through the door when he called out, "Tell Julian I said to not talk about babies!"

"Yes, daddy!" She giggled, and he could hear that she was already on the stairs, looking for her cousin. He frowned, wondering why in the hell would anyone mention anything about reproduction around Grace. He would need to have a word with his nephew.

With a shake of his head, he went to his bathroom, splashing his face with cold water as the guilt and shame of the previous night came back to him with the force of a wrecking ball, now that Grace was no longer with him.

He had monumentally fucked up. Ana did nothing but try to make him happy, giving him the thing he wanted most in the world, and he …

He sat at the windowpane, looking at Ana, who was still on the phone, talking to God knew who. Was she telling that person of his sin? Was she confiding in someone else how she had made the biggest mistake of her life going back to him? Did she tell Jose already? Or Karl? Christian doubted that neither man would have let him sleep if she had. They loved her too much to let this go unpunished. His own family would disown him if they knew. His father, his brother…his mother. What was he going to tell them?

His eyes were fixed on her chestnut hair, a few strands loose in the wind, and he noticed that unlike Grace, Ana didn't wear anything to protect herself from the cold. And she wasn't moving. She could get sick, but who was he to actually tell her anything anymore.

"You okay, son?" Carrick asked, knocking on the door slightly.

Christian wanted to lie and pretend that everything was okay, but the words caught in his throat, so he refocused his attention to Ana's back. She was no longer on the phone, slightly swinging herself as a child would do.

Carrick walked in the room, and watched through the window as well, trying to see what was bothering his son, before his eyes saw Ana, and he smiled benevolently. "Ha. Did you get in a fight?"

"Why? What did she say?" Christian panicked. Carrick laughed, tapping Christian's back as he leaned against the wall adChristiannt to the window.

"Ana? Saying something? Do you know your girlfriend? She's been the gracious guest she's always been when she comes here.

She made us pancakes, which are only getting better and better if I must say. And she promised hot cocoa and cookies for those who would help with the restoration of the treehouse. I'm sorry to tell you, we are already six on this task, you should have gotten up early if you wanted cookies."

Christian forced a smile, his eyes still on Ana who was apparently enjoying her time on the swing. He wondered why she didn't come back inside, where it was warm. Was she not comfortable being in the same house as he was? Because he would leave if it made her feel better.

"Christian…you have this face you've always had when you did something wrong," Carrick commented, and Christian admitted,

"I did."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Christian glanced at the door, not eager to talk about the atrocity he committed, and even less to have his little girl hear about it. Carrick seemed to understand and went to close the door as Christian looked back at Ana.

She was no longer on the swing but laughing with Jason as Elliott was giving her a glass of wine. He told her something that made her laugh out loud, and Christian's eyes were briefly distracted by Julian and Grace. They were holding Grace's bike, though he noticed the absence of training wheels.

He frowned, sure that Grace shouldn't try cycling without the security of the extra wheels, and Carrick commented, his hands in his pockets, "Your daughter is quite stubborn, you know. We - and by that, I mean your mother - had to remove the training wheels because apparently, and I'm sorry to break the news, Grace is not a baby."

Christian smiled slightly, not surprised that Grace would obviously try to do everything like a grownup straight away. He didn't remember being so mature at her age. Or in his youth. He watched his daughter climb on her bike, all geared up as Julian held the bike steady, standing in front of her.

For a while, father and son just watched Grace's attempts to put her feet on the pedals whilst Jose took pictures, and Christian felt a rush of guilt, shame, and pain. He should have been the one teaching Grace how to ride a bike, taking pictures, laughing with Ana whilst drinking wine.

"Christian? What happened? I can't help you if you don't tell me," Carrick called out, moving behind him, and Christian shook his head, his eyes going back to the woman he loved so much. Could he still call it love after what he did?

"She's going to leave me."

"Ana?" Carrick questioned, his voice a bit further, and Christian nodded, feeling his heart constrict at the thought. It was his fault. His own and terrible fault. "And that's why she gave you the papers that make Grace yours in every sense of the law?"

Christian blinked and turned to see his father standing by the side of his bed, holding the papers that made Grace a Grey now. He glanced around, noting that all their Christmas presents were neatly put in a wicker basket, and he wasn't even surprised. He always felt that Ana had OCD, and this was just confirming it.

"I…Dad…I did something…awful…" Christian said, not sure how to say the words.

Carrick smiled and sat on the edge of Ana's side of the bed, and he said in a conciliatory manner, "Ah, son. Don't fret. Women have this amazing and incredible capacity to forgive our words of anger. Otherwise, God knows your Mom would have left me long ago. Or killed me."

He knew his father was trying to diffuse the tension, but it did not make him feel any better. It didn't even tear a smile out of him. So, he just kept looking at the window, admitting,

"It's not something I said, though I'm pretty sure that what I said yesterday can be added to the list of grievances."

"What did you say?" Carrick inquired, clearly going with the easiest route. Christian took a deep breath, feeling awkward talking about this topic with his father, but knowing that of all people, Carrick would be the most qualified to answer, and maybe, make Ana see reason. If she miraculously decided to stay.

"I…well…we're still using condoms because she keeps refusing to make our lives easy and take the pill. And…well, I told her how it makes me feel, so she agreed to take the drug. But…the way she agreed…it felt wrong. It felt…I don't know."

"Why are you making this about you?"

"Because we are a couple, so her decision affects us both."

"Did you even bother asking her why she doesn't want to take the pill, or did you make it about how you feel?" Carrick admonished, and Christian gritted his teeth.

"It's obvious why she doesn't want to take the pill, she doesn't want to commit. The condoms, holding back saying I love you, refusing to let me spend a single penny on her. She uses anything she can think of to keep me at bay as if she's just waiting for me to fuck up so she can prove me wrong!"

Christian closed his eyes, realising that he _had_ already fucked up and that he had given her the perfect excuse to go. He heard his father sigh from the bed, and he glanced at him, seeing him shake his head slightly before Carrick said,

"You know, it's a good thing you're moving back to Seattle. Because you clearly need advice on this whole relationship thing. First…this is all wrong, you're interpreting things all wrong, and your mother would have an ulcer if she heard your theories.

I'm not a psychiatrist, but it seems quite obvious that Ana's childhood was…different, not to say lacking. It does things to people. Can't you sympathise why it's hard for her to say certain words, or for her to depend on people?"

Christian couldn't help but roll his eyes. He did not need a shrink session…or at least, not for that. He knew that, at the end of the day, "Saying I love you has nothing to do with her past, Dad. She's just using it as a weapon against me."

Carrick shook his head again. "Your Mom pointed out something to me yesterday afternoon whilst we were singing karaoke. She has never heard Ana say I love you to anyone. Not even Grace. Is she right?"

Christian concentrated, trying to recall if he ever heard Ana say the words to anyone, but he came up empty. Still, there was one thing he knew for sure: "Ana loves Grace."

"Of course, she does. And Grace knows that, despite the lack of words. Your mother says that children that have been deprived of love grow up to go one way or the other. It's all or nothing, but I think you're getting the meaning reversed. Ana loves you, Christian. She's just subtle in the way she says it.

You're expecting words when she shows it in much more powerful ways. Like giving up the only family she has to come live in Seattle so you can be close to your own family, and your business. Like spending weeks going from shop to shop to find the perfect replicas of your many cars so you can have a collection in your office. Like struggling to find the exact same cufflinks that your grandfather had because you mentioned once upon a time that you admired how he dressed."

"When did I ever say that?" Christian mused, an eyebrow up.

"The first time you brought her here, on your birthday. I was talking to her about my father, and you lightly said you always liked how he dressed so elegantly, "epitome of gentleman fashion" you said. And she remembered that all those years to give you this little thing that would make you feel like your grandpa.

Ana loves you, Christian, she's just not used to saying the words. I guess she is one of those people for whom actions matter so much more than words."

Christian nodded, looking back at the window. Grace was wobbling on her bike, but going forward, and everyone was applauding her. Until she bumped the tree, apparently having forgotten that brakes existed. Everyone laughed around her when she got back up and tried to get on her bike again.

"Now…about the pill. You can't impose that on her, Christian. It's not about you. It's not even about you as a couple. It's about her. She's the one who's affected by this decision. Physically, chemically, hormonally. You don't have to suffer through the secondary effects, she does. She should be the only person deciding whether or not she should take the pill. You have no say in the matter."

Christian hmphed, not convinced. He had never met a woman who was so-called affected by the pill, starting with his mother. The only secondary effect he knew of, was the lack of babies. Carrick sighed heavily, before saying,

"Let me ask you a question. Let's say she takes the pill. You know it's not an exact science. So, let's say she gets pregnant. What then?"

"She doesn't want any more kids." Carrick seemed surprised by that statement, but went on,

"Okay. But if there is another surprise baby. Who will be pissed, and who will welcome the baby with open arms? Be honest."

Christian remained silent, because he knew the truth, just like his father did: he would be the one throwing a fit. He couldn't deal with another kid. "I never understood why you never got a vasectomy, Christian. You've always known about not wanting kids, and it would be much easier for you."

Once again, he didn't say a word. Somehow, it felt wrong to admit to his ob-gyn father that he would feel less of a man if he got that operation. Somehow, knowing that he _could_ reproduce, even if he didn't want to, made him feel…more manly. Maybe it was some primal instinct, or maybe he was just being a caveman as Ana would say, but he knew that he wouldn't get the vasectomy.

Carrick moved from the bed to tap on his shoulder before he leaned against the wall so he could be facing his son, reading him like in an open book. "So, because of your ego, you're ready to impose something on the woman you love, even though you know she doesn't want to …

If it helps you make the right decision, it's always safer to unload a gun, rather than wear a bullet-proof vest. Especially if the vest makes the wearer ill. Just cover-up, and stop thinking just about you in this situation, son."

Christian nodded, never having thought of it that way. He hated that his father was making so much sense and making him feel even worse than he already did. He felt that everything beautiful Ana had given him was ruined forever. She gave him Grace and he…ruined everything being an egotistical bastard.

"Okay, so now that we've talked about the easy thing. What did you do that is so awful you think Ana, of all people, will leave you?"

Christian stayed silent for a moment, his eyes still on the window. Jose was now standing beside Ana, talking to her with an arm wrapped around her shoulders as she smiled brightly at him. Christian swallowed with difficulty and whispered, "I…I'm ashamed, Dad."

Carrick waited for Christian to go on, though Christian did not look at him, despite the intensity of his father's gaze on him. "I'm your father, Christian. There is nothing you can say that I haven't heard before."

Christian looked down on the floor, and finally confessed, "I…last night…after I saw the papers for Grace…I got carried away…and…she didn't…"

There was a deafening silence during which Christian kept his eyes on the floor as Carrick slightly moved away from the wall. Christian saw how his father tightly clenched his fist before angrily letting go of the self-imposed pressure as he asked in an accusatory whisper,

"Are you telling me that you _raped_ Ana? The woman you claim to love. _The mother of your child_?!"

Christian winced at the word that he had so carefully avoided thinking about. There it was, in the open and he couldn't deny it anymore. He belonged to the odd species of creeps, the ones he had always looked down upon. He had always known about his many flaws, but he had also always known that there were some things he wouldn't stoop to. Hitting a woman or a child, mass murder, adultery, _rape_…

But now...now he was one of them. One of those people who had no excuses and who plagued the Earth with their very presence.

"Your mother was right. We clearly missed something in your education," Carrick coldly accused and Christian winced once again, pleading,

"Don't tell Mom."

"I don't care how you feel, Christian! Do you realise that you just admitted that _you raped someone_!?"

Christian nodded. That was the reason he had stopped. That was the reason Ana had to force him to take a pill to sleep. Because he knew what he did was wrong on every level. Humanly, instinctively, romantically. And yet, despite knowing that there was no absolution, he still tried to defend himself.

"I was drunk. I was not thinking clearly."

"Being drunk is not an excuse!" Carrick bellowed, disappointment and disgust echoing in his voice. But it was nothing compared to what Christian was feeling.

Carrick glanced at the window, no doubt looking for Ana, and asked, "Why is she still here?"

"Because I don't deserve her."

"Well, that's an understatement! I can't believe you…"

Carrick's voice died and shame took over Christian once more. How could he have gone so far? Still, he tried to justify himself, to prove to himself and his father that he wasn't that bad of a monster and that he was aware of what he did, even then.

"I…I stopped, you know. I thought she was in the mood at first, and…I stopped as soon as I realised she wasn't."

"You stopped?" Carrick asked, his tone changing, and Christian nodded, his eyes still cast downward.

"What did she say?"

"What does it matter? As soon as we're back home, she'll pack up and take Grace back to New York, or London." He paled. He didn't want to lose either of them.

"It matters because _she_ knows better than anyone if she's been assaulted."

"She has. I did that. And it's not the first time."

"_What_?! Please don't tell me that Grace is a child of —" Carrick shouted, making Christian snap his gaze up and meet his father's murderous eyes.

"_No_! Of course not! Not me! She…" He hesitated a second, not comfortable going into so much detail with his father. "It's just that we were into it at first, and when she brought up the condom issue, I said I would pull out. And…she froze and turned her head when I tried to kiss her. And…it just felt like she was too fucking familiar with this whole situation. I know for sure she's been used as…as an inflatable doll before."

And he was sure it was Henry. How many times had Ana assured him that Henry never hit her, when in fact, he did much worse?

There was a small silence, Carrick looked back through the window and Christian followed his gaze, seeing Ana talking with Jose and Elliott whilst Grace was learning to cycle with Julian and Jason. Carrick sat on the windowpane next to Christian and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Christian…you do know that Ana would never see a therapist, right?"

"I know." This was one thing he knew for sure. Ana didn't like talking about herself, even less when it came to her feelings. There was no need for her to go to a shrink if she was just going to make small talk and avoid all the issues she should talk about.

"So, whatever happened in her past, it falls on her to deal with it. You can't do anything about it. Well, you can avoid being a dick and triggering past memories, but you can't heal her past for her.

Now about last night…the fact that you stopped changes everything. You should speak to her and ask her about it. She'll tell you how she felt."

"I damn well know how it felt."

"Or maybe your ego is playing against you. Trust me, I know how unpleasant it is to be turned down in the middle of sex. I know it makes you question yourself as a man, as a person, as a lover. And maybe you're reading too much into this.

You're on a thin line, here. And you can either torture yourself and never actually know, or you can talk to Ana. Either way, she's the only one who can absolve you. For better or for worse."

"So…you don't think I've…you don't think I've screwed everything up?"

"I think only Ana can answer your question. What did she say?"

"I'm not sure…She did ask to sleep in my arms, but…Ana has a good poker face."

"Then talk to her. But just so you know, if she says that you did sexually assault and emotionally bully her into accepting the contraception you wanted, I want you out of this house," Carrick said before getting up and leaving.

Christian stayed motionless on the windowpane, and he saw his father come out with some tools, greeted by his three grandchildren. They all rushed to the treehouse, Elliott short on their heels, and Christian witnessed his father take Ana aside for a moment.

They talked together, but Ana's back was facing him, so he couldn't read much of her. All he knew was that she kept frantically shaking her head until Carrick gave her a bear hug. _This was not a good sign_.

Ana left his father's arms and disappeared from the backyard, and Christian knew he would have to face her now. She came into the room, her cheeks red due to the cold, her fingers pink because she didn't wear anything warm, and her eyes full of worry.

Without a word, she walked to him, and what he had always promised himself not to do in front of Ana happened when she took him in her arms: he cried. How many times had he given himself a pep talk, saying that he was a man and he shouldn't cry? Even less in front of the woman he loved and had sworn to provide for.

He had always seen tears as a sign of weakness in men, but at this particular moment, he didn't care. He cried his heart out like he had wanted to cry since the night before.

"Christian…I told you yesterday. _Nothing happened_." She said in his ear, holding him against her chest, but all he found to say as he held her close to him was,

"I'm _so_ sorry babe."

"It wasn't like that. I told you. You stopped. You've always stopped. You've always been aware of how I feel, even when we weren't actually together. Christian…" She waited for him to look at her, and when he didn't, she took his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her beautiful face. "You didn't rape me. That's the most ludicrous thing I've ever heard."

He felt relieved, burying his face back in her chest and ignoring the cold emanating from her body. Those were the words he had been waiting to hear since the night before.

And now that she was saying them, he felt relieved. Now that he thought of it, she was right, he always stopped before she even had to say so, all the way back in Vegas when they shared their first passionate kiss. He had wanted nothing more than to take her then, but he had felt that small hesitation that made him stop.

"Christian, you have to believe me. I've always felt safe with you. No matter what, I've always known you would stop. Drunk or sober, horny or angry, you respect human values too much to go down that road. Look at you now, sick over the very thought of it. _Please_ believe me."

She cupped his face again, caressing his cheek and erasing his tears as she held his gaze so he could see the sincerity in her eyes. She gave him a small reassuring smile and waited for him to give it back to her.

When his lips slightly went up, she straddled him and lovingly kissed him, relieving him from any sort of anguish. _This_ was the absolution his father had been talking about, this simple kiss that showed that Ana still loved him, still had faith in him, still felt safe with him.

He hugged her, whispering once again how sorry he was, and Ana shook her head, letting him know, "You do owe me big time, though. I just had the most awkward conversation ever with your father. I don't think I can ever look him in the eye again. Actually, I want to die."

Christian chuckled, holding Ana closer to him and he kissed her, promising, "Anything you want, it's yours."

"No, no, no. Big time. I've never wanted to talk about our sex life to your parents, even less reassure your father that you're a good man that would never do something like that. I'm thinking…lifetime of servitude. At the very least. And flowers…I'll never say no to flowers."

She gave him her brightest, most earnest smile and he kissed her again, relishing in her presence and the fact that he didn't fuck up after all. She was still here, in his arms, trusting him and reassuring him.

"I hope your father didn't give you a lecture," she worried, and he simply shook his head. He deserved any harsh word his father had for him. In fact, he felt that his father had been soft on him. Ana smiled with empathy and wove her hands into his hair.

"I'm sorry. I should have woken you up this morning and made sure that sleep had indeed cleared your mind."

"Ana…" He started, clearing his throat as he felt once again bile rising. She gently smiled, and he asked, "You've never…I mean…no one…you seemed a bit too familiar with the idea of just laying there."

"What does it matter? Does it change the way you see me if I say yes?"

"_No_, of course not. Nothing can ever change the way I see you. You're the love of my life, nothing will change that. I just…I just want to know."

Her brows furrowed, and he traced her lips with his thumb, pleading, "Please babe, tell me. Trust me to bear this cross with you."

For a brief second, she was lost in a memory, and Christian could tell it was not a pleasant one. But then, she blinked and shrugged, looking down as she admitted in a small voice,

"I don't really want to talk about it, Christian. I was young and…I didn't know better."

Christian's jaw locked, as he held her closer to him. Fucking Henry! That bastard had damaged her in more ways than she would ever admit. He was going to find him, wherever that asshole was, and he was going to make him pay. He felt a bulb of anger threatening to explode and he hissed between his teeth,

"I'm going to kill that fucker. I swear to God I— "

"You'll do nothing. No one cares about him anymore. Especially not me. I just care about you, me and _Grace Grey_ now," she said strongly, moving so she could cup his face one more.

They both stood their ground, but Christian had to give it to her, she had said the right words. He shouldn't care about Henry, just about their little family. So, he sighed, and she smiled, kissing his lips and resting her head in the crook of his neck.

"I'm sorry you had to feel like that, Christian. I really thought that once you would have sobered up, you would have realised that you were wrong. It seemed useless to talk last night. I was knackered, and you were wallowing in self-pity."

Christian traced her spine with his thumb, part of his conversation with his father coming back to him. "What about the pill? I didn't mean to force that on you either. Why don't you want to take it though?"

Ana sat up, looking at him in the eyes, before her face showed anguish and mortification as she whined, "I am _never_ going to be in the same room as your father ever again! Why did you have to tell him about _that_?"

"Well, apparently I made the right call. I didn't realise I was forcing this on you. I thought you were just being difficult."

Ana shook her head, still mortified. "We're never seeing your parents again."

"Yeah, you can be mortified later on. But answer me? Did you say you'll take the pill just because of me?"

She shrugged. "Sort of. It's just…it doesn't sit well with my body, no matter the dosage. And it makes me moody and gives me migraines. And it makes me bloat. But…I don't want you to feel insecure about my feelings for you, or how committed I am to you. I'll just watch what I eat and try to find some good natural pain— "

"No. That's not how it works. I'm not emotionally bullying you into taking the pill. I didn't realise it affected you so much. I'm sorry. I won't be a jerk about condoms anymore."

He waited for her to smile, and when she did, he kissed her. For a moment, they said nothing, simply appreciating each other's presence until Ana sighed heavily and got out of his lap. He reached back for her, but she chuckled, opening the window wide.

"You know, I promised some cookies to the busy bees over there, and if I don't produce them, I think we might have a riot. And you need a shower. You'll feel better afterwards."

He kissed her cheek and took the quickest shower in history. When he got back to his room, his towel draped over him, Ana was still inside, fluffing the pillows, the bed made. Christian rolled his eyes; no matter where she was, Ana couldn't help but clean.

"Are you delaying going downstairs because you don't want to see my Dad?"

She blushed and he pulled his boxers up before taking her in his arms and kissing her neck. "You shouldn't be embarrassed. He cares about you like a daughter. "

"I'm pretty sure it's embarrassing no matter how you see it. So, you have to be with me, so I can hide behind you, and he can't look at me."

Christian chuckled, as he finished dressing up, and Ana sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the papers that made Grace a Grey.

"You were right, nothing can top that."

"You know…if Grace asks questions about her name change…I don't want you to feel obligated into anything. Okay?"

"What do you mean?"

She shrugged, getting up with a smile and took his hand as she opened the door, "I mean, it's not because she'll start asking questions that I expect you to do the same. If it comes, it shouldn't be because she's asking questions."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

They went back to New York with Jose and Karl, so they could celebrate the New Year there with the Chos. Grace was over the moon to spend five whole days with Jin; from sunrise to sunset they were joined at the hip, speaking a strange mix of English and Cantonese.

Ana had treated the Chos with the same courtesy they had shown her when she came to Hong Kong. She showed them around to the most famous and touristy places, and most importantly, she took them to Time Square for the iconic ball drop.

Christian didn't spend much time with them and actually missed the ball drop, though he made it up to Grace by spending the next day with her and her friend. But he did work a lot with Jamie and Roxanne. Not that either complained.

Still, he noticed, once they were back in Seattle, that Jamie was no longer running with Ana in the morning. Sawyer let him know that Ana was running on her own now. And Jamie stopped dropping by every now and then. And he was certainly not going to complain about that.

Jamie had the same perfect work ethic he always had, taking it on himself to mentor the intern as much as Christian. And Roxanne was good. In fact, Christian could easily see himself giving her a position with high responsibilities in the future. Ros had found herself someone to shadow her in New York, and after a couple of visits there over the first two weeks of January, Christian was confident in the man Ros had found.

Overall, this new year coming, Christian was feeling the happiest he had ever been. Work was going well, home was going well, life was good. Grace had told him that she made a friend on the first day at her new school, and he saw the aftermath of that friendship when one morning he had the surprise of Grace sporting bangs at the breakfast table. Just like her friend.

_"Oh? You cut your hair?" Christian asked, looking with surprise at this new 'do as he drank his coffee. _

_Grace smiled brightly as she stuck a spoonful of oatmeal and berries in her mouth and she told him, _

_"Mama took me to the salon yesterday. Just like in the movies."_

_"Don't speak with your mouth full," Ana admonished, and Christian glanced in her direction, wondering why Ana didn't tell him about their daughter getting her hair cut. She smiled, shrugging, and his eyes went to Ana's hair, trying to see if she had cut her hair as well. Grace was speaking about her friend, and how they had the same haircut now, but Christian was barely tying attention, his eyes lost in space. He liked Ana with her long hair, and he liked it even more than not many people got to see that. He wished she would never cut it or let it down in public._

Ana and he had come to a compromise when it came to Grace's education: she kept going to a normal school, but she also had a private tutor in the afternoon, teaching her all the things she wanted to learn about. Christian also had a Cantonese tutor come to their place, and he learned that Ana had found a piano instructor for their daughter.

As for Ana, despite the fact that Christian told her repeatedly that she could just stay home, she had found a small and unknown association to work with. He knew Raymond tried a couple of times to get her to work with more high-end people, but Ana, being stubborn as she was, insisted on doing this on her own. And since Raymond always propositioned politicians, Christian was perfectly happy with her decision.

She also spent some time with Thomas, and Christian couldn't help but think that it would be the cherry on top to have Ana replace Thomas. In fact, he was pretty sure that Thomas knew that Christian would like nothing more than to replace him with Ana, but it wasn't an option.

It was now the middle of January and Christian had been working around the clock. It was nothing new, January and February had always been very busy months. And the thing that kept him going this time, wasn't the satisfaction of knowing he did better than anyone else but the sweet thought of spending two whole days with Ana at the end of the month.

It was a Saturday morning, and he groaned as he woke up, knowing that he had a couple of calls to make throughout the day. Saturdays were always odd to him because they were his quietest days. After all, it was the only day that was actually a weekend day wherever on the globe.

As he rolled on the side, trying to cash in a few more minutes of sleep, he had the good surprise of finding Ana still in bed, and without thinking, he moved closer to her, cuddling against her and forgetting all about work. This was the first time since Washington that he got to wake up with Ana by his side, and he wasn't going to pass the occasion to appreciate the feel of her.

_Christian watched Ana with amusement, feeling a bit jealous that she fell asleep so easily. He always needed to be knackered to fall into Morpheus's arms so quickly. She was laying, facing him, having given him the most beautiful of birthdays. Presents had stopped having a meaning to him because he could buy anything he wanted. And yet, she gave him this wonderful experience he would never forget. _

_His hand was still on her face as he thought back on the evening, and how strangely satisfying it was to see his family include Ana as if she was already one of theirs. He had no doubts that Elliott had probably given his own analysis of their relationship to their parents, and that Grace and Carrick just wanted Christian to feel comfortable enough to bring his girlfriend home again. _

_He felt bad that she was so self-conscious about lying to his parents, but he wasn't. In fact, he wished he wasn't lying, he wished she was really his girlfriend, not just for the show. He wanted to make her feel like he did, and…to take away the shadows of her past. _

_He was about to remove his hand to let her sleep in peace, when she mumbled in her slumber, "You're warm."_

_He smiled to himself, scooching closer to her and taking her in his arms. He smelled the faint smell of coconut in her hair and simply appreciated having her in his arms for the sake of it, not because of the media, not because she was playing a role, but because he was just a man in love with a woman. _

_He kissed her forehead, and she snuggled against his chest as he thought of ways he could get out of the contract, without losing her. He didn't think she shared his feelings, which meant that if he came clean, she would break the contract and disappear from his life. And this was an option he wanted to avoid at all costs. _

_He was lost in his thoughts, trying to find a viable solution, when she spoke again, "My carrot can beat your…and anyway…that's what I said!…I know…broccoli is fair…"_

_He stifled a laugh, completely lost in the lack of sense she was making, and she moved against him, making him suddenly all too aware of her womanly presence next to him and making him realise, no matter what, he would have to make sure she loved him before he ever tried to be intimate with her, or she would use the contract against him. _

He hummed in pleasure, holding her close against him as he hid his nose in her hair, and that's when it hit him. It was almost nine, and Ana was still in bed. It didn't make sense, especially knowing that for the first time since they moved in together, he had come home to find Ana already sleeping in bed, cuddling the teddy bear his father had given her.

He lifted himself abruptly, supporting his weight on his hand so he could look at her, as he called out to her with panic, "Ana?"

He saw her frown, her eyes still closed, the bear still in her hands as she was laying in the foetal position, and she shimmied, whining with a sleepy voice, "Come back. It's cold."

He took her back in his arms, making sure to touch her skin to check if she was feverish. "Are you okay, babe?"

She shrugged, still not opening her eyes, and he insisted, "Are you sick? Do you want me to call a doctor?"

She shook her head, saying in barely a whisper, "I already went to see the doctor yesterday afternoon."

"_What_? Why? Why didn't you tell me?!" He exclaimed, sitting back up so he could see her face, but all she did was grimace, reaching for the cover to replace it properly over her.

"I'm telling you now. I only went to see Dr Meyer, stop panicking."

Christian frowned, feeling that this name was familiar, but he couldn't place it and finally, Ana opened her eyes and looked at him, enlightening him.

"He works with your Dad."

Christian blinked, his whole world crumbling. This couldn't be happening. They always had been very careful to use condoms, and there had never been a leak. And the only time they were unprotected, he never finished. Two drops of precum couldn't get her pregnant, could they?

Ana was still looking at him as his face hardened, but she reassured him before he could ask the question, "It's not what you think. I thought I was, but Dr Meyer assured me that it was just a false alarm. I guess I was a bit stressed."

"Thank fuck," Christian let out with relief, falling back on the bed. He couldn't deal with another kid. He rolled to kiss her before getting out of bed and using the loo, thinking of what would have happened if she had been pregnant.

He knew that whatever choice Ana would make, he would have to go with it. So…what if she had been pregnant and wanted to keep the baby? Would it be so bad? He would get to experience all the things he had missed with Grace. _She_ would get to experience a normal pregnancy. He'd get to do all the things Jose did for his daughter: holding Ana's hand, cutting the cord, giving the first bath…

But then again, he barely had time for Grace who was already grown and who was more mature than kids her age. He would certainly not have time for an actual baby. And anyway, Ana didn't want kids. It was a moot point thinking of what-ifs. Unless…

Unless this pregnancy scare had Ana rethink her stance about children. Maybe she was disappointed that she wasn't pregnant. Maybe this little scare made her realise that she did want more children after all. And if she told him she wanted kids, what was he going to do?

He was warming up the shower when Ana came in to wash her face, her sullen mood suddenly gone. She briefly kissed his lips and stood in front of the sink when Christian hugged her from behind, looking at the reflection in the mirror.

"Babe…"

"It was just a false alarm, Christian. And for once, I wanted to be lazy. I think I'm allowed to be lazy once in a while."

"You can be lazy every single day," he assured her, hiding his nose in her neck, but keeping his eyes on their reflection as he put his hands on her empty stomach. "I just wanted to make sure that we were still on the same page."

She locked her eyes with his before undoing his human cage and turning to actually look at him. "Yes. It's still the best course of action for the three of us."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, the situation has been cleared up, and to make it crystal clear, Ana never felt that Christian forced himself on her. She said a couple of times in the previous story that she knew that drunk or sober, Christian would always stop, even if she didn't say an explicit no. And as Carrick said, she's the only one who can actually tell what it was. **

💚** And there is this hint (which I don't think is subtle) that she dropped… Hope you caught it. **

💚**Now question time,**

**1\. Okay, so now we know a bit more about Ana's presents to Christian, and as Carrick said, it was something that really came from her heart. **

**2\. What did you think of Carrick in this chapter?**

**3\. And well Christian is happy, the happiest he's ever been? What do you think about it?**

**4\. And how do you feel about Jamie's sudden absence in Ana's life?**

**5\. And what do you think about that last scene and Christian's feelings concerning it?**

**6\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? Mine was Christian's breakdown in Ana's arms. I'm a sucker for angst. Haha **

**7\. And what do you think will happen next?**

💚** Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	26. Chapter 24: Lazurite & Paddy

**My dear little broccolis💚💚💚**

**💚 So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

💚** Also, i****f want pictures of the story, just check out my Facebook group, Mina's Broccolis, and you will find pictures as the story unveils. And a few sneak-peeks here and there as well.**

**‼️ABOUT THE REVIEWS‼️**

**(It's going to be a long one, haha)**

**1/ So, if you want an inside into the mind of Ana, I have put her diary entries in the FB group.**

**2/ Now, the pregnancy scare got people divided. Some people saw that Christian started questioning the whole thing. Other are just frustrated with him, haha. But I do want to point out that women are fertile for a good part of the month. They have a peak when they are ovulating for three days, but then, a sneaky spermatozoid can always find its way to an egg, outside of that three days windows. **

**3/ And I am SO glad everyone loves Carrick. I too love him. And yes, he is a very good Dad who raised someone completely different to him. Like the parens of so many sociopaths and serial killers, haha ^^**

**4/ And once again, as the characters have said many many times, Ana would never see a psychiatrist, because she would not talk to them. The basis of therapy is having the patient open up, and if the patient doesn't, there is no point.**

**5/ And, just a few caught on the hint Ana dropped, so congrats ^^**

**‼️DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW‼️**

💚** Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy **💚

**Chapter 24:**** Lazurite & Paddy (6,0K) **

**So, this title. Lazurite is a blue stone that was rather common in medieval western Asia. It is also said to treat infections … Paddy is an Irish whiskey. **

"You know, I'm starting to think that you really are a perv," Ana said playfully, a bit out of breath, and Christian laughed, bending down to kiss the skin over her spine.

They had just shared a very intense and passionate intimate moment by the window bay of the Burj Khalifa. It didn't start as Christian thought it would, they had just landed, and they went to their room to freshen up. But as soon as the door was closed, Ana jumped in his arms, and so Christian led her to the window, so they could both admire the stars as they reached them.

"Am I now?" He teased, his hands endlessly caressing her soft skin. She nodded, still out of breath, her hands on the glass.

"It's the second time you are fucking me overlooking a great view. I think you have a kink."

"I told you, babe, I like a beautiful view," He explained lightly, gently retrieving himself, taking the condom with him. She stood straighter and giggled when she saw him staring at her marvellous ass, slightly pink due to their lovemaking.

"Oh? So, my ass is a beautiful view, now?"

"It's the second wonder of the world."

She rolled her eyes, her eyes going back to the city and its thousand and one lights. "Let me guess, the first wonder is your cock."

He chuckled, taking her in his arms and flipping her so he could tackle her against the window. She slightly shivered due to the coolness of it, and he shook his head. "No." He slowly started kissing her jaw, gently contouring her whole face with his kisses, her forehead, her nose, her chin, her ears, but never touching her lips.

She smiled under his ministrations, and he rested his forehead against hers, tracing her red plump lips with his thumb as he pointed out to her, "_This_ is the first wonder in the world."

He never understood why some referred to swooning as melting, but at this right moment, it had never been clearer to him. It was in her eyes, in her smile, in her facial expressions, in the way she seemed to lose her balance for the fraction of a second. Ana just melted. And he loved it.

He grinned smugly and gave her a loving kiss to prove his point. When he broke it, she told him, "You know, for an oblivious man, you can be so sweet sometimes."

"Oh, I'm oblivious, now?"

She giggled again and pecked his lips before turning her back on him to look at the view again. Christian stood behind her, putting her hair to the side and gently touching her skin with feather-like kisses, a soft, satisfied smile on his face.

He loved that Ana had been so passionate and _vocal_ in their lovemaking since they couldn't completely let go back home. Ever since Christmas, he had stopped initiating anything that could be seen as a sexual advance, letting Ana always take the lead, despite her telling him over and over that she wouldn't mind a bit more spontaneity from him.

He knew what she meant, but he was still haunted about that Christmas night. No matter what she said, he still felt that he should have stopped before she did or said anything. After all, he was supposed to know her better than anyone else, and this was the proof that he didn't.

His eyes fell on the condom on the floor, and he saw a little bit of blood on it, making him frown as he inquired with worry, "Did I hurt you?"

She looked down, catching sight of the incriminating condom, and she promised, "No. It was just my last day yesterday. Or so I thought."

He breathed in deeply, holding her close against him, his nose lost in her neck, appreciating this simple moment he had with her. Nothing else mattered at that moment. Not work, not Grace, not Jamie. Just Ana being in his arms, and he wished he could capture this moment and make it stretch indefinitely.

"You know, you're lucky I don't have vertigo. That's pretty fucking high."

"Half a mile," he said with a smug smile. _On top of the world_.

"Well, that solves my problem. I wasn't sure about running tomorrow morning, but now, I just have to do the stairs twice over, and I'll be good," She chimed, happy at the idea of waking up early to exercise.

Christian repressed a groan and pressed his body against hers, making her feel his nakedness as he kissed her neck, his hand going to her breasts. "Or you could stay in bed with me, and I'll show you another kind of cardio."

"Haha. I can do my stairs, come back, have a shower, order us breakfast and I would still have time to wake you up and … do some cardio."

Christian hummed, still kissing her neck and still curious about how Ana could wake up so early and have so much energy throughout the day. She leaned against him, tilting her head up to give him better access all the while looking at the stars.

"Are you sure you're not a perv with a secret kink of getting off at the idea of someone seeing us? I mean…I've never met someone so obsessed with fucking me against windows. When is washday?"

"I'm not that kind of perv," He growled, not amused. "No one will ever get to see you naked, babe. Not on my watch."

"Well … Dr Meyer did," She said lightly, with a teasing tone, and Christian immediately tensed, his jaw locked as he stopped kissing her soft skin.

Of course, out of all the gynaecologists in Seattle, she had to go with a man. He had tried to dissuade her, asking Andrea to send him a list of _female_ OBGYNs, but Ana stuck to her decision, saying that if she had to trust someone other than herself to get the best doctor in town, it would be his father. And of course, Carrick had to recommend Meyer with whom he went to med school and had a business.

"You know, it could have been worse. I could have gone with the best doctor, your dad. I mean, he already knows everything about our sex life, so how much more awkward can it get?"

"You're never going to let that go, are you?"

"Nope. It's your fault, you started blabbering about our sex life to your _father_. I mean, Elliott would have been fine. Do you have any idea how awkward that was? You could fuck me into oblivion, I would still be mad at you for that."

She squeezed his arms, to reassure him that she was joking. In all honesty, Christian was pretty sure that his father was still mad at him. Even though Ana had told him her true feelings regarding the situation, Carrick still ground his teeth against Christian. Probably because he had seen an ugly facet of his son that he did not like. And Christian liked it even less.

With a sigh, Christian followed Ana's gaze to the stars, and he answered her question about his "obsession" with windows. "I've always wanted to fuck you on top of the world. Sure, this isn't Mt Everest, but I can't make love to you on top of a mountain without having my dick fall off. So, Burj Khalifa, it is."

"Any other fantasies, Mr I-Fuck-With-A-View?" She teased with a smile. This was the playful Ana from when they had met, the Ana he missed the most. She was carefree, flirty, and quick to joke around. He loved the new Ana he lived with, but sometimes, he felt that she was too tamed, too … mother-like. This Ana didn't try to be a perfect example for her daughter, she didn't try to be the perfect homemaker, she just enjoyed the present with him.

"Well…Grace will definitely need to go to my folks more often. Because I did picture you in several places in my apartment. You know, the kitchen, the bathroom, the piano, the library, my office … And my actual office in Seattle. And my jet. And Macau … and I definitely need to take you back to Vegas and finish what we started there …"

She chuckled. "That's quite a list. Anything else? Beside locations?"

"That's just the short-term list, babe. But what about you? Any fantasy I can fulfil?" He asked, nipping on the skin of her neck, his hands leaving her breasts and slowly finding their way between her legs.

"I'm good," She quipped, and he chuckled when she repressed a moan, biting her lower lip and leaning against him. He felt himself grow for her and he played with the lobe of her ear as he insisted,

"Everyone has fantasies. If you don't tell me, I'm going to have to convince you one way or another."

His fingers were in her core, playing with her and ripping a small "oh" of surprise from her as he felt her get wetter. "Tell me babe, and I'll make you come."

This seemed to spur her on because she pushed them off the window so she could turn to look at him, a playful wicked gleam shining in her eyes. Before he could ask or say anything, she was on her knees, engulfing him in her mouth, and he was cursing aloud, his hands on the window for support.

He absolutely loved her mouth, especially when she swallowed him whole, playing with his balls as her tongue was doing sinful things to his cock, the rest of her mouth salivating and choking around him. She batted her lashes at him, making him buck his hips in her mouth, and when she grabbed his ass, he knew he was a goner.

He tried to stop it, to retrieve, but she redoubled efforts, and so, when he was about to explode, he warned her. "Babe…I…"

She let him out with a pop, and he jerked himself, finishing on her breast as she smiled victoriously at him. He was still trying to catch his breath when she kissed her way back up and tiptoed to whisper in his ear, "What was that about convincing _me_?"

With a giggle, she swatted his ass and went to the bathroom whilst Christian tried to find a normal cardiac rhythm again. Yes, he had definitely missed playful and giddy Ana. Once he was back breathing normally, he picked up the condom on the floor and joined Ana in the bathroom, throwing the rubber in the bin.

But as soon as he tried to get in the shower with her, he recoiled, "_Fuck_!"

"Oops, sorry. I didn't notice you there," She apologised with a smile, adding some hot water.

He shivered and welcomed the warm water and the warm feelings as Ana wrapped her hands around his neck and whispered in his ear, "Thank you, Christian. This is the best present you've ever gotten me."

He smiled like a kid and pecked her lips. They both got cleaned, but when Ana reached for the shampoo to take care of her hair, he stopped her and squirted some liquid in his hand to take care of that for her.

She turned around, trusting him completely, though she pointed out, "You have an unhealthy obsession with my hair."

"I do," He admitted. He actually never felt that way before. He had never cared about women's hair, and what his past girlfriends did with theirs. But there was something about Ana and the way that she naturally always had her hair up that made him feel special to see her like that.

So, he kissed her shoulder, and confessed, "I like thinking that this is our secret. That I'm one of the rare few who gets to see you with your hair down."

He then started kissing his way down, kneeling and turning her so she would be in front of him, and he eagerly repaid the favour of the pleasure she had just given him.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Christian woke up the next morning to his alarm as Ana was trying to switch it off. He dismissed his phone and grabbed her hand, rolling her in the bed as he kissed her, making her giggle.

"Why do you keep waking up so early, when you don't have to?" He asked as he took notice of her clothes and the smell of a fresh shower.

"Really? Mr CEO is going to ask me that? Haven't you heard of the saying 'the world belongs to those who wake up early'?"

"You already have the world, babe," He reminded her, and she rolled her eyes before getting up, straightening her clothes and grabbing her brush as she told him, "You should grab a shower whilst I order the food."

"Or, I could just eat you up before my first meeting. I'd rather burn calories than eat them," He said, placing himself behind her and taking the brush from her hand to put it down. He started kissing her neck, his hand going beneath her white camisole.

"Oh? So...you're not spending the day with me?"

He glanced at the clock, and gave her a devilish smile, "My first meeting is at ten. We have three hours and I'm sure I can think of something to do."

"I mean, outside of this bedroom?"

He kept kissing her neck, his hands going up to her breast, and a wild thought occurred, making him wonder how they would feel if she was pregnant. He blinked, shaking away the thought as he explained to Ana what he had planned for them.

"Well, Hassan and his wife have invited us for dinner. And I did want to go shopping with you tomorrow morning before my first meeting. Oh, and there's this helicopter ride Andrea booked for us tomorrow evening."

She gently reached for his hands, and took them off of her body, making him frown and lean against the vanity as she took back her brush and did her hair.

"Babe?"

"I just have plans for today, and I can't be late. I'm going dune riding."

"Dune riding? What about our time together?"

She shrugged, doing her hair in a braid and hiding it beneath a scarf. Christian had told her that Dubai was more lenient with tourists and that she did not need to do that, but Ana saw it as a mark of respect.

"You already have everything planned out, and I'm not going to sit around and wait for you all day. I booked it for the two of us, but you working is not going to stop me."

"I can take you dune riding some other time. We can do that together when we come back in July."

Once again, she shrugged, not bothered at all that she was leaving when they were supposed to spend time together. She had been the one complaining that they didn't spend enough time together, and now, she was the one going her merry way, instead of trying to spend time with him.

After making sure the scarf was secured, she pecked his lips and took the room service menu as she explained, "I want to do it now. And the pickup is in an hour. Shall we have breakfast before I go?"

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Ana loved the couple of days they spent in Dubai and showed her appreciation by making yet another fantasy of Christian's come true in his jet. But this wasn't what made Christian promise to himself that he would whisk her away again. It was her smile. Her beautiful smile when he took her on the helicopter ride to see Dubai at night. She had been radiant, and he couldn't wait to make her smile like that again.

Grace hadn't been that bothered by her parents leaving, probably because Ana called her in the morning and at night, and probably because her grandparents had come to stay with her, and they were spoiling her rotten, to Ana's dismay. Still, when they came back, Grace glued herself to Ana for a whole day and begged her mother to wait for her to fall asleep before leaving her room.

Work was still busy, but it was expected given the timeframe. Roxanne was getting quite good, and she always had a couple of funny jokes or quips to make the day feel a bit less tedious. And, unlike Jamie, she was someone friendly and genuinely interested in his life.

"_So, how was your trip to Dubai?" Roxanne asked the day after he came back as they waited for Andrea to come in to give them their schedule for the day. _

_"Productive," He let her know. He would have a full debrief with Jamie and her later on in the day. Hassan was a very good partner, who had made Christian quite a fortune in Western Asia, and now Hassan was trying to get him to invest in some infernal tower that would rival Burj Khalifa and that he wanted to erect in Singapore. But Christian wasn't sure about that investment yet. _

_Roxanne smiled at him and pointed out his face as she said, "You seem to have enjoyed it, Mr Grey. A couple of more days and you would have come back sunburnt."_

_He smiled back, and corrected her, "Christian."_

_After all, if he was going to work with her at the same intensity he did with Jamie and Ros, she should get used to calling him by his first name. _

_She beamed at him, and before either of them could say anything, Jamie cleared his throat, probably annoyed that Christian didn't take him to Dubai with Ana. Which angered Christian. He had a wonderful time with Ana in Dubai, especially with Jamie far away, and it clearly was not Jamie's business to judge his getaway. Especially since he was the one who suggested it. _

It had been a week since they came back from Dubai, and Christian had barely seen the girls. He only saw them over breakfast, and usually, Grace would tell him about her previous day, whilst he read the paper. Ana had stopped waiting for him at night, not that he could blame her; she woke up before the sun, and he came home well after midnight.

They were supposed to go to Hong Kong the next week, but Christian had decided that he wouldn't go. It was too much hassle for little profit. They were only going for four days, Grace missing the Friday and Monday of school, but Christian had no intentions of going to Asia prior to Grace's plans, and he had too much work to do in the US.

So, when he got back home and found that Ana was already sleeping, he made the decision to wake her up when he went to bed, so he could inform her of his decision. He ate the plate that the girls had kept for him, ignoring the cats begging for his food (or attention, he couldn't be sure), his mind lost in the memory of his last conversation with Hassan.

_"You have a beautiful wife, Christian," Hassan commented in confidence, his eyes on Ana as she spoke with his wife. The two women were laughing at Ana's recent experience in the dunes, Amina trying to convince the brunette that she did not really enjoy the desert. _

_"Next time you come, we will take you camel riding. It is a much better and real experience. And…" Hassan's wife, Amina, whispered the rest so only Ana could hear, and whatever she said, it made the two women laugh _

_Christian smiled, as much at Ana's glee as Hassan's comment. Ana was _**_beautiful_**_. But he had always known that about her. Hassan made tea, as Christian did his best to ignore the little twinge at the "wife" comment. But as often was the case, Hassan was perceptive._

_"I have noticed though, that neither of you is wearing a ring … I have always pictured you as a traditionalist."_

_"It's in the works," Christian said simply, not eager to go into the logistics of how he was going to propose to Ana. He had many different ideas, but he wasn't sure which one would please her the most. _

_Hassan nodded, still looking at the women before he said, "You should hurry up. Someone as beautiful as her does not stay unwanted for long. Men are probably lining up to take your place and show her they can do better."_

_"I know," Christian hissed through gritted teeth, and Hassan shook his head._

_"You misunderstand. She is a beautiful woman, yes. But this beauty goes, over time. When I said that she was beautiful, I was talking about her soul. I know you westerners sometimes forget the value of inner beauty, but it is what is important. Her body might have been what you saw first, but her soul is what made you stay."_

_Christian didn't respond, because Hassan often liked to get religious and mystical when he didn't really care about this aspect of life. But he understood what the man said: Ana was a beautiful person in and out, and he knew he was lucky to have her by his side. _

_The men sipped on their tea, this being one of the things he liked the most about Dubai, their tea. It was the perfect combination of sweet, bitter and mint. _

_"I have to admit that I am disappointed that you did not bring your child. I was hoping to see you at someone's beck and call."_

_Christian chuckled, recalling how he had always judged Hassan for being such a papa bear over the years. Now that he had Grace, he couldn't blame the man. In fact, he was glad Ana was there to put a stop to him because he knew he would buy the little girl anything she wanted if it was only up to him. _

_"Well…this was something just for Ana and me."_

_"Haaa, I see. This was not just to see how much money I made you, but also to make another baby. Good. You should not wait too long between children. It is always better when they are close in age," Hassan commented with a knowing smile, and Christian stayed silent, his eyes on Ana. _

_Amina had brought her album of photos and was showing her the pictures of her wedding that lasted _**_seven whole days_**_. Ana marvelled at the different dresses as Amina was explaining the story behind each of them, and how her husband whisked her away from Casablanca._

_He wondered if Ana wanted something that extravagant, when Hassan wisely added, pouring some more tea for them, "You know, Christian, a woman is never more beautiful than when she is bearing life. Because she is holding the most precious thing in the world, your child."_

_Christian kept looking at Ana who must have felt his stare because she looked up from the picture she was holding and smiled at him, that smile that always made him feel like the king of the world. Hassan nudged him and jokingly added, "That is why I gave Amina so many children, haha."_

Christian was still chewing on his food, thinking about his determination to not have kids. It had never been due to an aversion against children, and with Grace, he was seeing that he wasn't doing so bad of a job. He was not the best, but he was much better than he had expected.

Maybe he could give Ana this thing she had wanted so badly in the past. Maybe he could give Grace little siblings she could play with. Or maybe he was just deluding himself. Ana didn't want kids anyway.

With a sigh, he put his plate in the sink and got ready for bed, passing by Grace's room to make sure she didn't kick her covers off whilst sleeping. When he got into bed, he snuggled against Ana and gently tried to wake her up. He hated the idea of waking her up, but he really needed to tell her about Hong Kong, he didn't want to tell her at the last second.

He gently called her name, kissing her shoulder, and after a few tries, she rolled on her back with a smile and reached to kiss him, mumbling, "Let me show you how you should wake someone up in the middle of the night."

She pulled him on top of her, moaning against his lips as he aligned perfectly with her and he started getting lost in the kiss, forgetting about everything but the idea of undressing Ana and having his way with her. He ground against her, making her smile even wider as she arched her hips to meet him, and when she broke their kiss to trail his jaw and neck, he remembered why he woke her up in the first place,

"Babe…Mmmh, babe…That's not why I woke you up."

"You sure? Someone seems to think so," She teased, grabbing his cock and playing with his length. He repressed a moan as she added, "And I actually missed you initiating the fun. I like it when you're in the moment … and raw and … all 'I'm-the-alpha-male, woman'."

She resumed kissing him, and he forgot all about talking, his hips rotating with hers, and a small pang of disappointment when her hand left his cock. However, it did not last long as she tugged on his hair, biting his lips, asking, "Why did you wake me up then, Christian?"

"I just wanted to let you know I'm not coming to Hong Kong," He said, his hand on her breast and his tongue loving the taste of her skin.

She immediately let go of his hair, her blue eyes steady on him as she asked, "_What?"_

"Yeah. It's just too much hassle for me. And there's also Roxanne who doesn't have a passport, and she won't get it by then. And — "

"So? To make it clear, you're blowing us off because your _intern_ can't travel with you?" She clarified, blinking.

"No. Of course not. It's just going to be a waste of time for me, you know. With the time difference and the time spent in the flight. I never actually planned to go to Hong Kong in January, and there's no profit, just a waste of time."

Ana's gaze hardened, her poker face on, and she said with a very even tone, "I'm just having a hard time understanding how spending time with your family is a '_waste of time,'_ Christian."

"It's not that, babe. You know I love spending time with my two favourite girls. It's just work. You understand, right?"

For a minute, he looked deep into her eyes, trying to make her see that he was just trying to be proactive. Of course, he loved them both, and would rather spend the days with them.

"I'm tired," was all she said, before rolling on her side, forcing him to move as she showed him her back. He reached out for her, spooning against her and coaxing her, "Babe, don't be like that."

He felt her stiffen, and she responded, her voice still steady and strong, "It's okay, Christian. Don't worry about Grace, I'll let her know."

"Don't be mad at me, please."

"I'm not mad at you."

"Then look at me," he retorted, not liking that he couldn't see her face. She turned and he saw no trace of tears or pain. Her face was just as usual. "I'm not mad at you, Christian. I'm just…disappointed in myself. I know that work is important for you and sometimes, I let myself forget that."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The girls came back from Hong Kong early on Monday afternoon, and to Christian's surprise, they came to visit him in his office. He had been in the middle of a videoconference with Ros when Grace burst in his office under Ana's and Andrea's mortified gaze.

She jumped into his arms and started telling him about the joys of Hong Kong. He was about to interrupt her and tell her that she would have to wait until he would be home to tell her all about it, when Jamie told Ros to give him five minutes and grabbed Roxanne, saying they would be in the conference room.

Still, it did not go unnoticed that he took the time to hug Ana and whisper something in her ear. _That bastard_. Every time he did something good, there was the other shoe waiting to drop.

Grace monopolised him for a whole hour as Ana simply sat on the sofa, listening to their daughter explaining why Hong Kong had a different date for New Year and telling him everything that she did there. She also gave him a picture framed of Ana and her in traditional gowns, so he could put it in his office back home.

After an hour of incessant talking from Grace, only interrupted by the "Awws" and the "Aahs" of her father, Ana reminded Grace that he needed to work and that she needed to get home to their pets. Christian saw how she discreetly put a wooden box in his library, on the empty shelf below the liquor. He was pretty sure that it was yet another deck of cards, like the one that was still in New York, and the one she said she had bought him in Dubai that was in his nightstand now.

He smiled at the thought and just as Grace took her mother's hand, he let her know, "I have an important function coming up this month. I'd like for you to be on my arm."

Ana nodded, not even thinking about it, and Grace let go of her mother's hand, going back to her father with big imploring blue eyes. "Oh Daddy, you said you would take me too and I could wear a pretty dress like Mama. _Por favor_."

Christian glanced at Ana, waiting for her to object, but she pretended to be busy looking at the puzzle Grace had done, and he'd hung on the wall. So Christian said the only thing he could think of: "Of course, sweetie."

Grace squealed with delight, and Ana simply raised an eyebrow at him, a small knowing smirk on her lips and Christian got up, saying that he would see them out. Just as they were about to leave his office, Grace stopped him, as if remembering something, "Oh, Daddy. I have something important to tell you."

"I'm all ears." He waited for her to speak, but then understood that she had something _important_ to say, so he squatted so they could be at the same level, which was only rewarded by an appreciative nod from his daughter.

"Can you come home early Friday…the next? So we can have dinner together?"

"Of course, sweetie."

"You won't be busy?" She accused, squinting her eyes and putting her hands on her hips.

"I'm never too busy for you, sweetie," he gave a white lie. After all, he had missed a few things, but she was always in the back of his mind, and the beaming smile she gave him was enough for him to make sure he would not miss that dinner.

"Pinky swear?" She asked, and he swore with his finger, making Ana shake her head at their antics.

As he called the elevator, Ana briefly talked to Andrea, and he picked up Grace, just for the joy of having her in his arms. He walked them out, seeing that Sawyer was waiting for them and once Grace was all buckled up, he stopped Ana from going in, just to have a few seconds with his girl.

"I'll try to be home early tonight."

"It's okay. We're actually going to your parents, they made us lasagna. And it's a school night, Grace will be knackered and in bed as soon as we're home."

"Tomorrow, then." He promised, kissing her red lips. With love, he traced the right side of her face with his finger, and he simply told her, "I love you."

She gave him a sweet smile and kissed him before joining Grace in the car.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

It was the evening of the second Saturday of February and Christian was working from home. He had spent most of the day in his office, and so he took his laptop and went to read his last couple of reports in the living room and enjoy some time with the girls.

They were both dressed in bathrobes, with their hair in towels and their faces hidden under clay, and Christian blessed his timing. He had managed to avoid the spa-day ritual so far. More than once, he had proposed to Ana to book them an actual spa, but Ana always refused.

The girls were flipping through magazines, trying to find a dress for Grace, who was excited like a bug. He knew that they had been looking for it for the whole week, since every morning Grace would ask his opinion on the matter, making her question his abilities when he always agreed on the dresses. Until she decided he couldn't be trusted, and she would ask for Tio Jose's advice instead. It was perfect for what he had in mind.

At the moment, they were looking for a dress for Ana. Though Ana had stopped dithering about spending his money, she rarely went out to shop anymore. She let Gail Taylor do the shopping, and when it came to clothes, she bought them online. Not that he minded, because satins were back in her nightwear as a predominant. As well as several pieces of lingerie he was particularly fond of.

As Ana put down a magazine and finished her wine, Christian slid another one in her direction, and said as if it was nothing, "If it helps, there is a dress in here I'd _love_ to see you in."

Grace greedily took the magazine, and Ana got up to refill her glass, which Christian found odd that she did not ask him if he wanted one. He refocused his attention on his report from London as Grace asked at each page if it was the dress he wanted to see Mama in.

He repressed a smile, his mind only half on the report. He would need to go to London anyway, which was perfect because he could stop by Paris and go see Nicholas. Maybe the girls would want to come with him too. Especially since they had their own place there, now.

Ana sat back next to Grace, looking at the magazine with her, and the corner of his eye was solely on the girls, his brain having paused any thought about work. He saw how she frowned, probably noticing the page sticking out of his magazine, the page he had put there on purpose, and she reached for it. As soon as Grace saw it, she marvelled,

"Oh! _Que linda_! You would look so pretty in it, Mama! Like a princess!"

Ana didn't say a word, but that didn't stop Grace, "You know, it looks like a dress when you get married. Oh? Are you going to get married!?"

Christian repressed a smirk, thinking that he didn't need an MC to campaign for him, he had Grace. She was clearly getting excited over the idea of seeing her mom in this dress and seeing her parents getting married.

So finally, he looked up to properly see Ana's reaction. She was looking at him, slightly nodding at whatever Grace was telling her, but her poker face on. Which he knew was to mask her surprise, and so he reassured her that he had something more romantic planned for the actual proposal.

"I'm not asking any questions. I'm just letting you know in advance what's coming."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, many things happened, and some sweetness occurred ... You know what's next, don't you hihi**

💚**Now question time,**

**1\. Okay, so what did you think of their trip to Dubai? Was it what you expected? What Ana expected?**

**2\. Once again, I'm bringing attention to it, for the last time, what about those decks of cards? And if it's not clear, Christian hasn't opened a single one of those boxes. He just knows because she told him.**

**3\. And Christian seems to have seconds thoughts about a particular topic**

**4\. And we talked about fantasy here … So, what are YOUR fantasies?**

**5\. And Christian made a pre-proposal … how do you feel about that?**

**6\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? AND a twist, what was your most heartbreaking moment?**

**7\. And what do you think will happen next?**

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	27. Chapter 25: Carbon

**My dear little broccolis💚💚💚**

**💚 So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

💚** Also, i****f want pictures of the story, just check out my Facebook group, Mina's Broccolis, and you will find pictures as the story unveils. And a few sneak-peeks here and there as well.**

**‼️ABOUT THE REVIEWS‼️**

**1/ So, everyone but Ana knew that this Dubai trip would be all about work, haha. Glad that you could see that. **

**2/ Now, about Ana ... I have put the entries of her diary, and I will talk more in details about her in a couple of chapters. But right now ... be patient with me. **

**3/ Now, some of you gave more thoughts into the whole blood thing than necessary. It was just a bit of 'leftover' period, nothing more. But remember that Christian often worried that he got too rough on her. Remember that he is significantly taller and stronger than her in this story. **

**4/ Also, remember that throughout the two books, Christian has had one motto when it came to his passion, and so far, he never actually went back on it ...**

**5/ And, well Jamie is having mixed reviews ... He will show his true cards (pun unintended) in the next chapter. **

**‼️DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW‼️**

💚** Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy **💚

**Chapter 25:**** Carbon (4,3K)**

**So, this title … carbon is a key element of making alcohol and diamonds ... Simple as that **

Over the following week, Christian worked as much as usual, eager for February to be over. It was only the second week, but it was already draining. He flew to Washington from Tuesday to Wednesday with Jamie and Roxanne to check on some investments GEH had just made. Jamie made a couple of suggestions that Christian actually approved of, and when they got back, he cornered Christian in his office before Roxanne got in.

"I have always wondered…why do you have a board?"

Christian raised an eyebrow, surprised by Jamie's question. Jamie had stopped running with Ana in the mornings, and coming to his place on weekends, probably finally realising that he should only focus on his work and leave Christian's family alone.

And when it came to work, he never had anything bad to say about Jamie. In fact, more than once Jamie intervened with constructive critiques and comments that he appreciated. But Christian was still puzzled by the man's question since Jamie knew that any big company needed a board to regulate the expense of money.

Jamie didn't seem deterred by Christian's surprise, and he explained his point-of-view. "What I mean is … you built GEH. From the ground up. You didn't have to answer to anyone then, so why did you make your life ten times harder by having those … buffoons?"

It was a secret to no one working closely with Christian that he strongly disliked the members of his board. They were all pompous asses more interested in sucking money out of him than helping out young struggling entrepreneurs. They were the exact type of people who would have turned their back on Christian when he was barely nineteen and already trying to start his company.

But then again, "They keep me in check. I got the board after my first ten million. I didn't trust myself to not go overboard, and they have been useful and stopped me from doing some impulsive shit in the past."

"And yet, every time we have a meeting with them, you leave the meeting in a bad mood. I get it, being a young twenty-something with millions at his disposal can lead to some stupid decisions, but that was years ago. Haven't you matured?"

Christian glared at Jamie, not appreciating being called a child by someone who, not only was younger than him but who also had less experience than him in the same industry. "So, what's your solution? I can't run billions of dollars without a board. I'm already overworked as it is."

"I never said that. What am I? Stupid? I'm just saying, you're not just the CEO of your company, you're the creator. Get rid of the chairman, you don't need him."

"And who's going to take his place? _You_?" He scoffed.

"Technically, you're already the chairman. And you know it, that's why you're always pissed after a meeting with the board. McCoy just likes pretending that he holds the power, but at the end of the day, they can't do shit without your say so. You're just letting something that used to be your guardrail become your anchor."

Christian thought about it, seeing reason in what Jamie was saying. McCoy had been chairman for too long anyway, and replacing him was long overdue, but maybe he didn't necessarily need to. After all, the board couldn't make decisions without him either. And it would make him considerably less moody.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

The following day, Jamie was in New York on his own so he could work a couple of days with Ros. Christian wanted her honest opinion on the man, working closely with him before he made any major decision concerning the board. Sure, he agreed with Jamie, but he didn't feel confident trusting the man completely yet. After all, Jamie was still young, and still new to his job. And he couldn't be entirely sure that this wasn't a ploy so Jamie would get the opportunity to get closer to Ana.

The function he was attending with his family was the next evening, but he still had much to do before then. Andrea left earlier than usual, but she did remind him of his schedule for the rest of the day like she always did, and Christian couldn't help once again but be grateful to have her as a PA. Not even once had she ever complained about the amount of work he gave her, and yet she always made his life so much easier.

After reviewing yet again his latest acquisition in London, he sent Roxanne home. She tried to stay with him since he usually dropped her home after work, but he simply had Taylor drive her home. He told her to enjoy her weekend and rest since she would be travelling for the first time the next week - they were going to London with Jamie, as she finally had her passport.

Shortly before eight, he called Roger, ignoring the incoming call that beeped in his ear a couple of times, and together they polished the last details of his speech for Saturday night. He usually didn't care much about any of them; whether he was the keynote speaker or receiving an award, he had Roger get someone to write a speech that would inspire people, and he would stick to the script.

The only time he actually added something more was in Washington, on Ana's birthday.

_"And I'd like to finish by using this saying that my father has lived by all his life. 'Behind every great man, there is a great woman'. For a long time, I always thought that my father was just saying that for the sake of it because it would please my mother. But now, I understand. I understand exactly what he meant, and why he always used that saying when times were rough. _

_Because my mother was his rock. She was the one who saw him at his weakest and still managed to build up his confidence. She was the one who gave him the strength to challenge adversity. She was the one who told him when he was in over his head. She was more than his lover, she was his confidant, his aspiration, his best friend._

_And now, after all those years…I understand."_

_Christian's eyes were solely on Ana as he said this improvised part of his speech. He usually tried to avoid those as much as possible, but Roger had insisted again and again that he couldn't continue refusing to make speeches. It wasn't good for his public persona, nor his would-be future business opportunities. _

_But this last part, this last part had been solely for Ana's ears. Because she was all of that. She was his first thought in the morning, the first person he would think to share his successes or his doubts, the first person who would make him question himself. _

_And her smile was enough. She was as gracious as ever, but he was used to that by then, and, as everyone applauded him, she did the same, slightly bowing her head to him with that beautiful smile of hers. And it was all he needed to be sure he had made the right decision. _

_He left the stage and used the opportunity to steal a kiss from her, sure that Roger would love the picture as photographers went crazy when their lips connected. After all, he had never kissed her in public, and he was sure that the press was starving for this kind of opportunity. _

_As he sat next to her, and she chastised him for not warning her ahead of time, Christian had to repress himself from telling her how he felt about her then and there. He had this whole plan in his head, on how he would declare his flame as she would blow out her candles, and how he would convince her that they could have a long-distance relationship for her year abroad. He would travel every weekend to see her if necessary, but they would make it work. _

_But one way or the other, the contract would end tonight. He already had the amount to cover his breaking of the contract, and all he could hope for was that Ana would just accept to continue having a relationship that would be more meaningful than a few stolen kisses under mistletoes or in a hotel room in Vegas. _

_In the middle of the evening, Roger called him, as Christian had expected, all happy that Christian had finally shown some PDA he could play with and feed to the press. _

_"That was not what we agreed on, but it was genius. The press is loving it." Christian rolled his eyes, muttering a "whatever", all the while eyeing the exit where Ana had gone to "powder her nose". _

_"No, really. People will start to see you as more than just a cold and hard businessman. It's good. Everyone likes the story of a man in love. We can even release a statement saying that — "_

_"No statement. Let them drain whatever they want out of tonight, but no statement. Leave her out of it," Christian cut him off, his eyes on Ana as she came back to the room and spoke to a man he had never seen before. He repressed his desire to go to them and stake his claim and when Roger started insisting, he strongly said, _

_"I mean it, Roger. I didn't say that for the press to revel in it. I said it to let the woman I love know how I feel about her. Don't even try to capitalise on that."_

When he hung up with Roger, his speech was done. Christian had insisted that it should be clear and concise, without any complicated words. Grace would be there, and he was sure that she would listen attentively and ask thousands of questions afterwards. In a way, he was glad Ana didn't put any sort of veto on this outing, because now he had a chance to show to Grace the results as to why he was so busy all the time.

After his phone call with Roger, Christian stayed in the office, doing his best to have the least amount of work on the next day, so he could enjoy being with the girls an hour or two before the event. He had more than one reason to be rather nervous about it.

One, as Roger pointed out several times, this would be his first official outing with his family, and cameras would be there. Roger said that there were two papers he absolutely needed to pose for and that it would be best for him to do it with the girls.

The second reason was that he wanted to talk to Ana when they would get back home. Over the past month, he had thought more and more about the kid issue, and after today, he was sure that Grace was not enough. He wanted the full experience. He wanted to see Ana carrying his child and to see his kid go from baby to adult with his own eyes, not through pictures.

It was more than Hassan's words that had kept playing into his ears. The moment that made it click for him was when he went out for lunch, to stretch his legs whilst speaking on the phone with Ros. He saw by the reception desk, one of his board members kiss who he assumed to be his wife and rub her prominent belly with unconditional love.

And seeing this pregnant woman from up close, Christian had realised that this was something he would never get to experience. He would never get to see Ana have that special glow, and he would never get to feel his child kick beneath her skin…

And he wanted that. For himself. For her. For Grace. For their family.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

When he got home, it was later than he usually did, it was almost two. But he had managed to clear most of his Saturday and only had a debrief to do with Jamie in the morning. He was not sure if he would do it over video conference, or if he would get Roxane and Jamie to meet him somewhere for coffee.

Still, it was so well into the night that he did not expect to find Ana sitting on the couch, looking at the window sipping on some wine in the dark. He smiled to himself, though he clearly thought that she should have gone to bed. She would barely get any sleep given the time she woke up in the morning.

"Babe, you didn't have to wait up for me," He told her, putting his things down and removing his coat. Ana did not move, her gaze set on the skyline and he switched on the light, feeling that maybe he was lucky, and he would get to speak with her now.

However, when he walked to the couch where she was, she turned a hard face to him, and coldly asked, "Do you have any idea of what day it is, Christian?"

"Friday. Well…Saturday, now. I'm sorry I got home so late. I got swamped with work and…" He stopped talking on his own, seeing her poker face crumble to make way for anger.

He had never seen her angry at anyone, let alone aimed at him. Ana had always been sweet and smiling. Even when she had thought he had treated her like a prostitute, she didn't show anger but kept her emotions in check. So, he quickly tried to do a rundown of the past week, wondering what he could have done wrong to earn that kind of anger, and her hard, blue eyes pinned him where he stood as she asked,

"_Friday_? Don't you remember the promise you made about being here for dinner not even ten days ago?"

And finally, he remembered the promise he had made Grace about having dinner with her on this day. He grimaced, recalling that Andrea had reminded him twice that he had plans with his family. Once in the morning, once before she left. But then, he had worked, and gotten on the phone with Roger, and everything slipped his mind.

"I'm sorry. I forgot," he said earnestly, wondering what he could get Grace to make it up to her. He thought of another cat, but Ana might think it was over the top, so maybe he should capitalise on another fish to go with the ones his mother had given the young girl.

Ana had a disabused smile and shook her head before she got up, taking her empty wine glass with her. She went to the kitchen, Christian hot on her heels, not liking the judgement emanating from her. Surely, of all people, Ana understood the delicate situation he was in.

"It slipped my mind. I'm sorry. I- "

"No, Christian!" She cut him off, putting the glass down a bit too violently. "You _promised_ you would be here, and you weren't. It's that simple."

"It's the first time it's ever happened! Let it go and don't try to turn it into a bigger deal than it actually is! It's not as if I was partying and slut hunting! I was _working_, Ana! You know that!" He retorted, feeling his anger rise against this unjustified attack from her. She had no ground to lash out to him like that. Yes, he forgot dinner, but it was just dinner. He would make it up to Grace. He did realise that the mixture of tiredness and alcohol probably made her more abrupt than usual, but this wasn't an excuse to lash out at him.

She narrowed her eyes at him, her cheeks slightly getting darker. "_Let it go_? Christian…" She took a deep breath through her nose, trying to calm herself. "Work isn't everything. You have a family and — "

"And I have to work."

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do! Even more now than ever! I have to provide for Grace and for you! If I don't do it, who's going to do it? _You_? Playing Mother Teresa and saving the world one kid at a time?"

He knew this was a low blow, but she had to understand that she couldn't have everything. She couldn't help trying to save the world, taking the most difficult route and refusing Raymond's help to connect her with reputable people and going to a small unknown association and expect him to stop working. Who was going to put the food on the table if he didn't?

She needed to realise that this idealised version of a family that she had in her mind only existed there. In the real world, things were not as great as in her twisted reality where everything was sweet and rainbows.

Ana shook her head again, taking another deep breath as she put her hands on her hips. "This is not about work or providing, Christian. It's about you, owning up to your word. You _promised_ your daughter you would be home. You _promised_ her that you would be here for dinner today, and she had been looking forward to it all week long. And yet, you never showed. You never picked up the phone when she tried to call you, and you didn't have the decency to text her a simple apology message.

I didn't force you into her life, Christian. _You_ said you wanted to be more than her father, _you_ said you wanted to be her dad. Well, last time I checked, dads don't act like that. Last time I checked dads don't make promises they don't keep. I…"

She stopped herself, obviously frustrated, and for a bleak horrifying second, Christian had the awful feeling that she had been about to say that she had made a mistake trusting him. And that was probably why he lashed out on her.

"Come on! Don't pretend for a second this is just about Grace, and not about you!"

"_What_?!"

"Since day one that we've been together, I've been on probation! You've put me on trial, waiting for an excuse to keep me at bay! You don't want to commit and Grace is the perfect excuse! You're just waiting for me to make the teensiest of fuckups to take her and leave.

I'm not allowed to screw up like any other dad, because every fucking day, you're putting me on trial. Because you have this fucked up ideal of what a family should be when in truth, you don't know! You have no idea what a mother or a father does because you never had one! You're an orphan!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he instantly regretted them. He knew how Ana was insecure about being a mother, and he was sure that part of it was due to her past. But never, in a million years, did he want to use Ana's past against her. Especially something that had scarred her so deeply.

Ana's face became unreadable in an instant. She didn't cry, she didn't hurl herself at him. She just looked at him, and he hated what he saw. Her eyes were dead. There was no life in them. And he hated that he was the one who blew the life away.

He took a step toward her but stopped when her eyes shifted to his feet, silently daring him to try to get closer.

"Babe…I'm sorry. I'm tired. I don't know what I'm saying. Of course, I didn't mean — "

"Yes, you did. You didn't mean to say it out loud, but you meant it," she cut him off, her voice cold enough to let him know that he was in no position to say anything back.

She took a deep breath before taking the glass of wine to the sink and rinsing it. For a whole minute, Christian did not dare talk, afraid to have pushed her too far. All she had wanted was for him to be home for his kid and he had hurt her even harder than if he had hit her.

"Babe…" He pleaded, and she turned to him, her poker face on and a small disabused smile on her lips.

"The funny thing is, Christian…If I had wanted to take Grace and leave, I wouldn't have had to wait for you to fuck up. Because the truth is, you already did. Over and over again, you keep fucking up, and like an idiot, I keep covering up your messes. You fucked up from the moment you knew she was yours for good.

I mean, missing dinners and weekends was already bad enough, but from Christmas onward…have you spent a single hour with your daughter, without work buzzing around you? Do you realise that you missed the New Year celebrations with her twice? _Twice_ in the span of seven weeks.

Tell me, _Dad_, what's your daughter's favourite colour? Tell me, _Dad_, what is her current bedtime story? Tell me, _Dad_, what about those piano lessons you promised her? Tell me, _Dad_, what's the name of her best friend? Of her teacher? Of her fish? Tell me, _Dad_, what does she want for her birthday?"

She looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to give her a single answer, but the truth was, he didn't know. He had no idea because he had been swamped in the annual overload of January and February.

"Ana…I…" He had no idea what to say, but Ana summed it up for him, pushing him further into his grave.

"You already fucked up, Christian. And today…" She took a shaky breath, her voice wavering with emotion. "Today, I couldn't cover up your mess because _you_ made her realise that _she_ wasn't important. That she didn't matter that much to you. It was her first Valentine's Day, and all she wanted to do was have the special dinner she had made just for her daddy and give him her present.

And because you didn't even fucking bother to call her, she cried herself to sleep, realising that no matter what, daddy will always be too busy for her.

So Christian, if I was just waiting for you to fuck up, it would have been long ago that you would have come home and found your apartment empty. But I guess being the fucked up orphan that I am, I'm just too stupid and I keep deluding myself trying to hold this family together."

And on those words, she left the kitchen and walked to the lobby. Christian caught her as she was calling the elevator, her keys in her hands, and he grabbed her free hand, only then seeing several bandages and cuts on it. He frowned, concerned. "What— "

She snatched her hand from his, glaring at him. And she pushed her finger in his chest, making him feel like he was the smallest one out of the two of them. Her ire was so great, that he would not be surprised to have seen smoke coming out of her ears.

"Look at me, Christian Grey, _look at me good_. The next time you accuse _me_ of using _my daughter_ as a tool…" She took a deep breath, her jaw locked.

"I'm not you Christian. _I_ don't weaponise my child to get what I want. Whether it was to get to me, or for us to move in with you, to move to Seattle, for you to fucking propose, you used Grace every single step of the way as a buffer. After all, who cares if she gets her hopes up and she gets hurt in the process? In the end, you always get what you want, right?

But mark my word, Christian Grey. The next time you accuse me of stooping so low that I would use my daughter the same way you do…that will be the last time you would ever see either of us. I don't care who you are, and I don't care how many people you can buy off, say that again, and you will _never_ see either of us again."

The elevator dinged its arrival, and Ana grabbed her coat. And though Christian could understand that she needed to cool off, it was almost three in the morning. "Are you leaving?"

"I don't want to say things that I don't mean."

"What about Grace?" He reminded her, in a last attempt to make her stay, and maybe talk to him. But it had been the wrong thing to say. She glared at him. "Are you telling me that I can't rely on _her father_ to look after her?"

Christian swallowed with difficulty but had nothing else to say as she pressed the button again for the doors to reopen. Still, before he could stop himself, he was stopping the doors from closing, "Ana…I…I love you."

"No. You don't."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, I can't wait to read how some of you will blame Ana and find excuses for Christian, haha. Really, because it always opens my eyes on other ways to see the story from a different perspective, though sometimes it just baffles me, haha**

💚** And I kind of like that last sentence. **

💚**Now question time,**

**1\. Okay, Christian missed Valentine's Day, and Grace is heartbroken … However, as he pointed out, it's officially the first time he screwed up. Sooooo how do you think Grace will react?**

**2\. We had an insight on that speech on Ana's bday. Now, I want you to remember how Ana felt during that speech, and what she said about PDA when it comes to her love life. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. **

**3\. And Christian wants babies now … **

**4\. And there is a tiny hint that has been shown in this chapter and the previous one. Which is …?**

**5\. And finally, what are your feelings on the arguments? Christian said some things, and Ana said other things, though she made it clear that she was mad for Grace, not for her. That's for another chapter …**

**6\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? AND a twist, what was your most heartbreaking moment? **

**7\. And what do you think will happen next?**

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	28. Chapter 26: Wither, Erosion &Evaporation

**My dear little broccolis💚💚💚**

**💚 So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

💚** Also, i****f want pictures of the story, just check out my Facebook group, Mina's Broccolis, and you will find pictures as the story unveils. And a few sneak-peeks here and there as well.**

**‼️ABOUT THE REVIEWS‼️**

**1/ So, everyone is worried about poor little Grace ... but Ana being called an orphan is okay? XD So just a few people cared about Ana and her state of mind. If you want to have a snippet of that, Go read her diary, that's why you got spammed last week ^^**

**2/ Now, how some people can still find excuses for Christian ... baffles me. But I guess it means I did a great job since I wrote from his POV, and I wanted to put his perspective in the forefront and make it believable when he would be surprised that things went downhill ...**

**3/ And for those thinking that the story is not advancing ... it is. Just not the way you want. I know exactly why each character acts the way they do, and if you really think things are slow, read between the lines, pick up the hints, and you will understand what this story was really about ...**

**4/ Also, remember how I said that it was important to remember Ana's thoughts from the previous story when Christian made his speech in Washington ... Yeah, once again, it is REALLY important.**

**5/ And, Jamie is STILL having mixed reviews. Well, in this chapter, we will finally know what that man has been up to!**

**‼️DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW‼️**

💚** Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy **💚

**Chapter 26:**** Wither, Erosion & Evaporation (9,1K)**

**So this title seems quite self-explanatory but basically, it's the state of death of the three main components of each chapter … **

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Christian kept looking at his watch, his eyes going back and forth between the second hand going up at the slowest speed and the front door remaining stubbornly closed. He was probably caught in an alternate universe where time went slower than usual, and where he turned out to be an asshole.

He still couldn't believe he actually said those words to Ana. Not only had he dismissed his lack of involvement in their daughter's life, but he had twisted the situation and reversed it so it would make it look like it was her fault. No wonder why she thought so lowly of him as a father.

With a blank stare, he poured himself another glass of whiskey, trying to recall when he had indeed spent more than an hour with his kid without his phone. And the only moment that came to mind was Christmas. Every morning, Grace would do a rundown of her previous day, but Christian had developed the skill of nodding and making smart noises at the right time to give the impression that he was listening, when in fact he was doing something else entirely.

The truth was, he knew nothing of his daughter's new life in Seattle. Did she enjoy it? Did she make more than one friend? Did she enjoy the private tutor? Did she miss him? …

And when all Ana wanted to do was to remind him of his responsibilities as a father who broke a promise, he lashed out at her. Instead of owning up to his screwup, he flipped it on her and made it seem like she was the problem, not him.

Once again, he glanced at the door, hoping that Ana would come back. Not only did he want to apologise, but it was the middle of the night, she was inhibited, angry and alone. If anything happened to her, he would never forgive himself.

As he put down his empty glass, he checked his phone, ignoring the few email notifications, and he tried to call her. His heart leapt with hope when he didn't go straight to voicemail, but she never picked up. He thought of leaving a voicemail, but in a way, he knew he should talk to her directly. Saying sorry over the phone would never be enough.

So he got up and went to their room where he had the surprise to find Grace sleeping in their bed. He felt his heart twist, understanding that Ana had probably tried to console the little girl by letting her sleep there, and he quickly passed by the walk-in closet to change into his PJs. He noticed a box there that seemed out of place, but he decided to look into it in the morning.

Grace was sleeping on his side, wearing an odd shirt that didn't look like pyjamas, and holding something that looked like a hoodie too big for her. He picked it up and choked up on his tears. Ana really did cover up all his messes. The hoodie was black, with two dragons on it, a big red one, and a small blue one. And just above the dragons, it was written in purple cursive "_Little Princess's Hero_'.

He looked at Grace again and saw that the shirt she was wearing was echoing the hoodie that had obviously been meant for him. The two dragons were also there, but on her shirt, it was written _'Daddy's Little Princess_'.

How did he miss Valentine's Day? Especially after Ana scowling him at New Year's and telling him that this was something that he couldn't do to their family. He remembered how he felt she had been overreacting a tad because it had been out of his control, but he still promised that he would be there for their big events.

And to think that he wanted memorable firsts with Grace. All like Thanksgiving, or Christmas. But she would always remember this Valentine's Day as the day he had ultimately failed her.

And what about Ana? Time and time again, she had told him that she was a romantic. This was the reason he had kept postponing proposing because he wanted to make it as romantic as possible. And yet, he missed something as ridiculously simple as Valentine's Day.

With a shaky sigh, he tried to call Ana once again, resolved to keep calling her until she would pick up, and for a brief second, he had the hope that she was back home when he heard the buzz near him. But then, he realised that the vibrating sound was coming from Ana's nightstand. He opened it, and found her phone there, displaying a picture of him and her from six years ago asking to be answered, and he cut down the call with a frown as he sat on the bed.

It was a picture of them during Ana's first Christmas with his family when he kissed her under the mistletoe and his mother used the opportunity to snap the picture. He was holding her in his arms, smiling whilst kissing her, and she had her hands on his shoulders. He remembered how he had surprised her then by turning the sweet peck she had intended for his cheek into a full-blown kiss, but the smile she had for him when their lips parted made it all worth it.

He put the phone down, doing his best to not overanalyse the picture. Did she have this picture set because she liked this image of them, or was it because she did not have any happy moments with him recently? And that's when he realised with horror that Ana never tried to actually take pictures of them when in Dubai. Ana, who had been camera crazy for as long as he could remember, had only taken pictures of landscapes there. In fact, he couldn't remember a time when she had asked for a selfie with just the two of them.

He was about to close her nightstand when he caught a glimpse of the frame Jamie had given her in the drawer. Many times since Christmas, Christian had wondered where she had displayed the picture. It was nowhere in their room, nor in the living room, and it wasn't in her office either (mostly because she never used it). She had kept it hidden in her bedside, alongside her diary …

He glanced at Grace who moved in her sleep, taking up far much more space than her little body needed, before looking back at the journal. This was the ultimate betrayal, this was the one thing he hadn't shattered for Ana, the one thing he could still say he did correctly … but then again, he knew it wasn't true.

_Christian stirred awake, reaching for Ana and grimacing as he found the bed by his side empty. He knew that he should wake up and get a little work done whilst they were still in the air on their way back to Seattle from Dubai, but he wanted to enjoy a little bit longer this sweet moment with Ana. Dubai had been such a blast; for a moment, they got to just enjoy being together, and in love. _

_With a sigh, he sat up, scratching his eyes, and he found Ana sitting on the other side of the room, curled up in the comfortable chair and writing in her fucking diary. He glared at the journal, clearing his throat and she promptly closed it, making it obvious that whatever she was writing in it, she didn't want him to know about it. _

_She put the thing down, and came to sit back next to him, and as soon as she was in his reach, he pulled her to him and buried his nose in her hair, admitting, "You know…I'm not…I don't particularly like…that you have a diary."_

_"Pardon me?"_

_He raised his head so he could look into her eyes and told her of how she made him feel. "Why can't you just talk to me? Why do you need a _**_diary_**_ to talk about your feelings? I'm your _**_boyfriend_**_. In fact, I'm more than that. I'm the man who's loved you for years now, who wanted to marry you all those years ago. I'm the father of your child and … you can't even confide in me. How do you think it makes me feel?"_

_She opened wide eyes and raised a comforting hand to his face as she said the words she knew would placate him, "I do confide in you. I just write down what I tell you to keep my head clear."_

_"Sure you do. Then if I read into that thing, I won't learn anything new about you, right?" He scoffed, and she paled, looking down and giving Christian his answer. She trusted a piece of paper more than she trusted him. _

_He held her against him and told her, "I know you have your issues, Ana. I know that you won't say the fucking words I want to hear because of those issues. But … how can you love me if you don't trust me enough to speak to me? Do you realise how useless you make me feel in my own couple? How am I supposed to bring you solace if you don't give me the fucking tools?"_

_"I'm sorry, Christian. You're right," She admitted, keeping her head in his chest and hugging him to her. "I didn't mean to make you unhappy."_

_"I'm not. I told you, I'm the happiest I've ever been, and it's thanks to you. I just … if you want to talk about your feelings, come to me, not to a fucking diary. I'm here for you. You know that."_

Christian watched again and again as the last entry in her diary abruptly stopped and was never picked up again. Each new entry made him feel like an asshole and he hated it. There he had been, accusing her of not talking to him, when in fact she did, but he did not pay attention. And that led her to believe that …

He put the diary back in its place, feeling like he had been burnt, and he let himself fall in the bed, tears building up in his eyes. That one sentence he had done his best not to think about coming back to him … _'No. You don't_.'

She had said it so naturally, so softly, without a hint of sarcasm or anger. It was a statement. She truly believed that he didn't love her. She truly believed that she didn't matter to him. He would have rather had her beat him up than say those words with such certitude.

But then again, when had he been there for her? He barely knew what kind of association she was with and barely knew that she worked closely with a guy. It wasn't that she didn't tell him anything, but that he didn't pay attention. Just like he didn't pay attention to her not adapting to Seattle, just like he didn't pay attention to her asking him to spend more time with their daughter and get invested a bit more.

And more than that, he ostracised her from the only familiar face she knew in this city, because of his own damn insecurities. No matter how he felt about Jamie, he should have trusted her. Was this where she was? Did she go to see Jamie? He was probably back from New York given the hour. Did he unknowingly push her in another man's arms? Or maybe she was at this doctor's in Escala … the one with whom she went to the gym with?

He didn't even notice that she no longer ran or went to the gym. She was always up before him, and nothing seemed to have changed in her routine. And yet, he was discovering that she no longer exercised, when he had always been sure that this was something that Ana loved to do. All of this because of those hags from school.

Why didn't she tell him about them? This was the one thing that was news to him, the moms at school bullying her. All the rest had just been eye-opening to his obliviousness, but the SRBC was news to him. And he hated those women even though he had never met them in his life.

But what he hated the most was that nagging feeling in him he had whilst reading Ana's diary. There was something off as the days went on. But he couldn't exactly pinpoint what it was. All he knew was, it was his fault.

Grace moved again in her sleep, and Christian switched off the light, laying next to her and taking her in his arms, promising her, and her absent mother, "I'll make it up to you. I swear I'll make it up to the two of you."

And as he kissed his daughter's hair, damp with sweat, he broke down in silent tears.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

He barely slept that night, not much because of Grace's incessant tossing, but because he had been constantly hoping to hear Ana come back home. But Ana seemed to have decided to spend the night outside. Still, when he woke up for good, Grace was no longer in his arms and he briefly panicked, wondering if Ana had come back and taken her daughter away from him whilst he was out cold.

But then he reasoned with himself, he wouldn't have been able to sleep through the girls getting ready. So he got up and went straight to the kitchen, where he found Grace eating her breakfast under Gail's supervision.

"Good morning, Mr Grey. What would you like for breakfast?"

"Whatever she's having," Christian dismissed, noticing his hoodie on the chair next to Grace whilst she was still wearing her shirt. The little girl didn't acknowledge him, her head in her bowl, and Christian walked to her, kneeling by the chair so he could be by her side.

"Grace, sweetie. I am _so_ sorry. I never should have missed dinner yesterday night. Even less our first Valentine's together."

Grace shrugged, still not looking at him. "It's okay. Mama said you were busy. Thank you for my present."

"No, sweetie. It's not okay. I should never be too busy for my favourite princess. How about we spend the whole day together? We can do whatever you want?"

Finally, Grace turned her head to him, and Christian could still see some traces of her late-night crying. He caressed her cheeks and grabbed the hoodie for him to wear, making her fight a small smile of contentment as she pointed out,

"Mama said that you would say that. Can we go to the movies with Vickie? Her Daddy is taking her to see that new mermaid movie."

"Whatever you want, sweetie," He promised, feeling his heart squeeze as he realised that Ana did not come home because she was making sure he would spend time with his daughter. And apparently Grace caught up on that, because she squinted her eyes at him, and accusingly questioned,

"You're not going to be busy, are you?"

"No. I'm yours entirely."

"Promise?" She insisted, but she did not raise her pinky. Probably because he had broken the sacred value of it in her eyes.

"I promise, sweetie. We can do whatever you want."

"I still want to go to your party because I want to wear the dress. Mama said that I needed to ask you. Can I still go?"

"Of course," He ignored the way his heart clenched. In all honesty, he really didn't want to go. But Grace had been looking forward to it, and he had disappointed her enough.

Gail placed a plate of waffles in front of him, but when she asked him what kind of coffee he wanted, Grace screamed and dashed out of the kitchen, telling them to wait. Christian played with his food, glancing where his daughter had disappeared before asking the housekeeper,

"Has … Did you see Miss Steele in the morning?"

"Yes. She left shortly before you came in the kitchen, after talking with Miss Grey."

Christian nodded and glanced again at the corridor to make sure Grace was not around. "Have you noticed anything … odd about Miss Steele lately?"

Gail seemed uncomfortable, but when Christian's gaze became insistent, she unknowingly dug his grave a bit deeper. "I cannot be sure, Mr Grey. Miss Steele likes to keep to herself. She does seem a bit different from … all those years ago, but she has had a child in between. She did ask me to take over the cooking and the shopping, and … I have found more often than not a wine glass in the drying rack in the morning."

Christian nodded, not saying another word as Grace came back to the kitchen holding a little package that she gave him, looking at him expectantly for him to open. He did as instructed and found a mug with Grace's childish writing on it and a lot of glitters, stating that he was the "Best Daddy in the World".

He smiled, swallowing the hurt that seeing those words was bringing to him, and he poured some coffee in his precious mug, saying, "This is now my favourite mug in the whole wide world."

"Really?" She asked, hopeful, and he nodded before reaching for her and sitting her on his lap.

"I really am sorry for yesterday, sweetie. Daddy was just being stupid. Please, forgive me?"

"Mama said stupid is a bad word," She reminded him, but still, she wrapped her little arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, and at that moment, all he cared about was his little girl forgiving him.

He knew that Ana had done most of the work for him, with the gift and reassuring Grace that he would be there for her in the morning and always making sure that Grace always felt loved by him, but still. The warm feeling that coursed through him made him hold his daughter closer against him.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

Christian spent the whole day with Grace, meeting for the first time Victoire and her father, and learning that Grace had now a French tutor so she could converse in French. Victoire's father was a French businessman, freshly divorced, who obviously spent more time with his daughter than Christian ever did in his life, despite the fact that Mr Martin had a nanny.

He briefly enquired about Ana's welfare, surprised that she wasn't with them, but didn't linger much on it and rather focused on Victoire's upcoming birthday party, letting Christian know that Grace was the guest of honour.

It was also then that Christian learned that Grace was much more popular in Seattle than she had been in New York. Apparently, there had been birthday parties or playdates at least once a week since January, and the two little girls had been invited every time.

When they parted with the Martins, Christian asked her about her other friends, and it broke his heart to see the surprise in her eyes when he did so. She seemed used to him being present but not paying attention. Ana had been right, he had been a poor father to their daughter.

He had the surprise to learn that the majority of Grace's new friends were actually boys and that most of her girl friends were friends she had because of Vickie. And yet, Grace was still as girly as ever, not a trace of becoming a tomboy on her.

When they got back home, Christian called his mother to help him get Grace ready for the night's event. If it was up to him, he would just sit it out and stay home, waiting for Ana to come back. But Grace kept asking about it, and he couldn't disappoint her again. Especially when she was so excited about it.

They had lunch together, eating what she had prepared for him for dinner, and unknowingly, Grace reminded him again that Ana had changed without him noticing as she said that preparing this dinner was the first time Mama was cooking in a long time.

They were in the middle of eating the homemade chocolate for dessert when Grace suspiciously squinted her eyes at her father and asked,

"Daddy? About the dress you showed Mama? Are you going to get married? She doesn't tell me anything." A small pout formed on her lips, showing that she was clearly annoyed by this lack of information.

"I…I want to," he said honestly, not sure how to explain to his daughter that he had screwed up so bad that he had made her mother run away and that she might be looking at this very moment at ways to actually take Grace away so he wouldn't be in their lives anymore.

Grace popped another chocolate in her mouth, unaware of her father's turmoil and she lightly said, "But Tio Jose said that you have to have a ring to be married. He and Uncle Karl have a ring." She suspiciously turned her head to Christian, "Do _you_ have a _ring_?"

"I do. But…it's a secret."

"Why?"

"Because when I show it to your mother, I want to do it in a magic way," He said, and Grace's eyes lit up. He shared her smile before it froze on his lips. Didn't Ana accuse him of doing just that? Getting poor Grace's hopes up. What if Ana said no, Grace would be crushed. And what if she said yes just to spare Grace … that would be even worse. And this was made even more painful when Grace blissfully asked,

"Can I help? I can ask Mama for you if you want?"

"No, sweetie. That's between your mother and me. The way you can help is by keeping the secret and stop asking her about it."

Grace pouted, not liking being put aside, before her face lit up, showing a hint of victory as she said, "I can keep the secret if I can see the ring!"

She proudly held his eyes, and he sighed in defeat, which was quite humiliating thinking of it. Sure, Grace might soon turn five, but he still had to lay down in front of a kid. So he took her to his office and showed her the ring that he had bought all those years ago for Ana.

Grace examined it, turning the ring again and again in her little fingers, her nose scrunched with obvious dislike. "Mama likes this?" She asked with disbelief.

"I don't know. She hasn't seen it yet."

"She won't like it," she said with a shrug, putting the ring down as if it was the ugliest thing she had ever seen. "Mama said that 'jurery' has to be…_a secret_." She seemed so happy with herself, calling back to the fact that they were sharing a secret at that moment, that Christian didn't have the heart to correct her mispronunciation.

He put the ring back in the box, and Grace explained further, "Mama said that 'jurery' is like a special secret you share with a special someone. And she said that when you know a secret, you don't tell everyone that you know a secret."

Christian nodded, realising how little he understood Ana. That was the reason she had never been comfortable in the jewellery he got her, it had always been to attract the eye to it when she wasn't that kind of girl. And even more, he understood why Grace had attached such importance in sharing the necklace with her mother. It wasn't just so they could look alike, but so they shared a secret.

For the rest of the afternoon, Christian stayed with his daughter, going as far as partaking in her spa day and putting clay on his face whilst they drank celery juice (which was the most abject thing he had ever tasted). He kept his professional phone on silent, but kept his personal phone on, hoping at any time that Ana would call.

But it seemed quite obvious that she had no intention of coming home, and Grace didn't seem bothered by it. Mama had told her in the morning that she would have Daddy to herself all day, and it was justification enough for Grace. Still, he couldn't help but wonder where she was. He doubted that she was at his parents', but maybe she had gone to Elliott…or all the way back to New York to cry on her best friend's shoulder about how terrible of a boyfriend Christian was.

When his mother arrived in the late afternoon, little Grace was buoyant, excitedly telling her grandmother over and over again how happy she was to go out with her daddy. Christian let them get ready so he could do the same, his heart not really in it due to Ana's absence.

She didn't try to contact them at all, not even to let them know about the fact that she wouldn't be joining, and Christian couldn't bring himself to ask Grace what she and her mother had talked about in the morning. He didn't want to bring attention to the fact that it was unusual for Ana to not spend time with them.

As he was putting on the cufflinks that Ana had gifted him for Christmas, his eyes fell back on the box in the closet, and he crouched to look at it. Ana had always been rather OCD, so it was odd to have this box he had never seen in their walk-in wardrobe.

For a moment, he feared that it was the first of many boxes that would prove that Ana was already in motion to move out, but when he actually saw the content, his heart broke even more, if it was possible. In it were many red rose petals, candles and a sexy nurse outfit.

All night and all day, Christian had beaten himself up because he had missed this important moment in Grace's life, but…Valentine's Day was first and foremost a day for lovers. Ana had stepped back for her daughter, but still expected something sweet for the two of them. And it never happened.

And he had no excuse. He knew that Ana was a romantic. And he knew that she liked feeling like in a fairytale on certain days. Like she did on Thanksgiving, or like she did on Christmas. And even the little things, she deeply appreciated, like the chocolate he would get Andrea to send her when she would be on her periods.

But…he had completely forgotten about this aspect of romance. In truth, he had completely forgotten about being an actual boyfriend as of late. It was so easy just coming home and having had Ana take care of everything for the family. Like the piano lessons, he remembered promising Grace but never giving her. Ana had found a teacher so the promise would be fulfilled. Like always making sure he would have a meal waiting for him when he would get home. Like making sure that Grace didn't feel completely abandoned by her father.

He sat down on the floor, banging his head against the wall of the closet as he wondered how much more he had fucked up. It wasn't just Grace he had failed, but also the woman he loved. And long before he even said those horrible things to her. He had promised her to listen to her, but he never did. In fact, he was realising that Ana had stopped waiting for him at night when they came back from Dubai when he lashed his insecurities on her.

He heard some noise, and plastered a smile on his face, quickly hiding the box, expecting to see his daughter, but it was only his mother. She raised an eyebrow at him being on the floor, and he quickly got up as she told him,

"Your presence is requested on the main floor so your daughter can go down the stairs like in the movies."

He nodded, and they both went to the living room, asking "Where is Dad, by the way?"

His mother snickered, "Stuck in bed. The seafood he got me for Valentine's Day didn't agree with him. He's quite annoyed because he really wanted to see Grace in her first fancy dress. They're FaceTiming as we speak."

Christian nodded once again, sitting on the couch, and his mother told him, "Ana called this morning. To ask if I could get Grace ready in case you forgot to ask. Everything okay?"

He opened his mouth, but Grace called out from the stairs, asking if he was ready. "I am. Let me see my little princess come down the stairs."

Grace giggled and carefully walked down the stairs, holding the railing. Her hair wasn't its wavy self, like her mother, but straight, falling down her back. She was wearing a dress between gold and beige, with a fluffy skirt and that had lace on the bottom of both the skirt and the top.

Christian smiled brightly at his daughter, making her giggle with pleasure even more, and he heard his mother take many pictures for them. She twirled on herself, before asking for pictures with her daddy, and her cats (obviously). Christian posed, harbouring the best smile to not spoil the memory of his daughter, and he found himself briefly wondering if he should have gotten her something to mark the occasion.

But he quickly dismissed the idea, sure that Ana wouldn't have approved of this trail of thoughts. They got ready to leave, Taylor driving them to the event, and when they parted with his mother, she whispered in his ear, "I'd like to talk to you about Ana, Christian. It's important."

This was enough to make him lose the smile that he had been showing since Grace came downstairs. His daughter frowned at him, seeing his change of mood, and so he picked her up and kissed her cheek, making sure to smile again as he asked his mother,

"About what?"

"Shall I drop by first thing Monday morning? In your office?"

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

On the way, Grace, still unable to hide her excitement, told Christian about how her grandparents had told her that she needed to be good and that there would be a lot of people taking pictures of her (not that she seemed to mind). She joked about how Pops said she wouldn't be able to pick her nose in public, reminding Christian of a similar conversation he had with Ana.

He knew that Roger was over the moon about the fact that he was not coming along to this event. It was good press to show him as a family man. But he didn't want to use Grace, especially not in that way. But then again, Grace really wanted to go and feel like a princess, so who was he to refuse that little thing to her?

Once there, Christian spotted Roger looking at him with a frown, probably not liking what Ana's absence meant for his image, but Christian couldn't care less. He kept his daughter's hand in his and paused for the camera, making sure that Grace was comfortable and glaring at the couple of photographers who thought it was a good idea to tell his kid how to pose.

Grace was all smiles, though the smiles were mostly directed toward her father, and as he was about to leave this freak show to another poor soul, his eyes caught a glimpse of red at Jamie's arm.

As per usual, Ana had her hair tied up in an elaborated do. She was wearing a long blue and backless dress that reached the floor, where the front top was completely covered in rhinestones. With a beautiful smile, she walked to his and Grace's side, and paused for the photographers, her face showing nothing but a polite and glowing smile.

Christian saw how Roger was smiling like a lunatic, and when one of the photographers dared to ask for a kiss, Christian picked up his kid and kissed her on the cheek before directing the redheads inside, though he made sure not to touch Ana. Just because she came didn't mean that she forgave him. He knew her face all too well, and it was the one she used to conceal her emotions.

She sat Grace on a chair at their designated table, and he pulled the chair for her to sit. As she did, he whispered in her ear, "Thank you for coming."

She blinked, turning her head incredulously to him, before lowly saying so only he could hear, "I told you I would. I've been told that's what family does."

She could have slapped him, it would have been the same. And what made it even more painful was the fact that her tone had been gentle. It wasn't a remark to put him back in his place, just a statement.

He cleared his throat and tried to get to his seat, on the other side of Grace, but as soon as he was no longer touching Ana's chair, a strong hand rested on his chest, forbidding him to move. Christian glared at Jamie, who he had only invited because Roger had insisted, and Jamie said with a frighteningly cold smile,

"Can I talk to you, Grey?"

This ought to surprise Christian a bit. Jamie never called him by his last name ever since they started working together, so it was weird for him to start all of a sudden. But whatever Jamie had to tell him, probably concerning his recent trip to New York and the fact that Christian didn't contact him to have a debrief, it would have to wait until Monday.

Which was why Christian easily said, "Monday," dismissing the young man. Though it was a work function, he was going to keep the work talk to a minimum.

Jamie however, did not seem to understand that Christian was not in the mood, and darkly insisted, "This isn't a request."

Ana turned to look at them with a frown, probably wondering why none of them had sat yet, and she paled when she saw the way they were dangerously close. She ever so slightly shook her head, and Jamie gave her the same poker smile she always had to hide what she thought.

"It's not what you think. It's just business and it's quite urgent. It's about that London contract we're on, it can't wait. We'll be back in five minutes."

Ana returned her attention to Grace who happily told her mother all the things she did with her father during the day, and Christian had no other choice but to follow Jamie out of the room. There was no point in denying that Ana had gone to Jamie, since they arrived together, and though he knew exactly how Ana felt about the man, he still wasn't exactly sure.

Jamie led them to the restroom, and after making sure it was empty, he blocked the door and brusquely tackled Christian against the wall, towering over the man and pressing his forearm against Christian's throat with all his weight.

His eyes were blazing, and yet, just like Ana, his voice was eerily calm. "I am just going to say this _once_, Grey. I am not your employee here, and you are not my mentor. I am talking as the brother of the mother of your child. _Listen to me _**_good_**.

I don't know what's going on between the two of you, and frankly…" He took a deep breath to calm himself, closing his eyes before reopening them, fire blazing, "I don't want to know. I don't want to have a valid reason to bash your head against this wall, and then have to explain to your daughter why I erased her dad's face on the concrete.

I don't know what happened last night. I don't know what you said, or what you _did_ —"

"I would _never_ lay a —" Christian tried to cut off, but Jamie tackled him back against the wall, abruptly cutting all air supply to Christian's lungs.

"No one who knows Ana thinks anyone can _physically_ abuse her. No one who's been where we've been would ever allow this situation to happen again, even less when there's s child around. If you ever laid a finger on her, you would be at the hospital, and she would have already had full custody of her child. But that's beside the point.

The point is, my sister spent the night crying on my shoulder _because of you_! The point is, my sister looks broken! The point is, my sister looks barely like a ghost of herself. And that's _on you_!

I know we missed a lot of each other's lives, but the truth is, we've been together through the worst. I've seen her beaten bloody, starved, mocked, brought back constantly to the orphanage because she was too old. And never have I seen her cry. _Not even once_. And _you_…"

Jamie took another deep breath to calm himself, inadvertently reminding Christian of Ana. When he opened his eyes, he was calmer, though the ire was still visible in his eyes.

"As I said, I am not getting in your relationship. She told me you were not comfortable with her relationship with me, and I respect that. She put you and Grace first, and I'll never fault her for that. But mark my word, if I _ever_ see her like that again" - he pointed at the door - "I will rip you apart with my bare hands."

With a last push on his torso, Jamie put a bit more reasonable distance between them, his eyes so dark with fury that they would have silenced the bravest and boldest souls. And Christian knew that he had no ground to counter anything. _He_ was the reason why Ana spent her night crying, and _he _was the reason she didn't even feel comfortable doing so in front of him.

Jamie straightened his clothes and calmly said, as if nothing had happened, "Now, put a smile on your face. You have an award to receive and a family to show your love and appreciation to. And don't forget, we just talked business, because Ana loves you so much that she would never let me talk to you like that."

Christian did not retort a single word, but he followed the man back to the main room where he found Ana speaking to Governor Marshall. Jamie quickly went to sit next to Grace, kissing her cheek and magically producing a flower from her ear that she accepted with glee, and Christian had no other choice than to sit next to Ana.

As he pulled his chair out, the politician appreciated his presence with an over-friendly approach. "Ah, the man of the night. Always working I see. You wouldn't be receiving an award otherwise."

Christian politely smiled, shaking the man's hand, though his eyes were on Ana, trying to read her poker face, but she just gave him a sweet smile, squeezing his hands. And he _hated it_. He knew she had been hurt by his words, and he knew that, though Ana was a forgiving person, she did not forgive overnight. So this was all for show, and he hated that she felt she had to be in this position. He had told her before, he didn't care about what the rest of the world felt, but then again, she was probably doing this for Grace.

"Governor Marshall. I didn't know you would be here tonight."

"Good thing I am. This is apparently the only way I can talk to your lovely partner. She has been quite hard to get my hands on." Then he turned to Ana. "Now, have you been thinking of my proposal? As I just told you, I can amend."

Ana briefly met Christian's eyes, something cold but dead in them, before she gave a sweet smile to the politician and assured him, "I will see you Monday morning after school."

The governor jubilated in that information before strutting to his table, and Ana turned to Grace and the magic tricks Jamie had for her, marvelling with the little girl.

Christian said nothing, keeping his face clear as he drank his liquor and observed Ana from the corner of his eye. She had lost weight. The glow she had gained in Dubai was gone and her bones were poking through her skin. How did he not notice that she had lost so much weight over the past month?

Sure, he did not see her at night anymore, but he still took her in his arms to sleep. And yet, he never noticed this alarming fact. In fact, throughout dinner, he could easily see how she looked so much like a ghost as Jamie said. She did not eat. Or, she only ate when Grace was looking at her. Christian noticed the couple of times Jamie glared at him as Ana pushed her food around her plate. But he did not dare say a thing to her. He knew that the conversation they needed to have would have to wait until they would be back home.

Shortly after dinner, a photographer asked for a picture of them for a blog, and before Christian could shoo him away, Ana was up with her best smile and kissing his cheek as he did the same. The photographer asked a few questions about Ana, about what she was wearing, and Ana graciously answered before sitting back next to him as he was talking to Grace.

When he was called to the stage to receive his award, Grace was all smiles, her eyes wide with wonder and pride, seriousness on her face as he looked down on his speech. But when he looked back up, when his eyes solely focused on Ana, all he saw was a dead person.

The girl he loved was nowhere to be seen, her extraordinary smile, her shining eyes, her radiant glow…it was all gone. There was just the shell of Ana, politely smiling, ready to listen to whatever he had to say. That energy that had first attracted him to her had disappeared, killed by his selfishness.

**_Fifty fucking million dollars_**_! Weeks and weeks on end on a deal of fifty fucking million dollars, and it ended up being a waste of time, money and energy. Ros had to talk him out of firing the incompetent morons who thought it would be a good idea to invest in that terrible deal, and all he wanted at this instant was to pass his anger on someone. Preferably Harvey and his stupid idea of making him lose fifty fucking million. _

_Christian had just pulled an all-nighter with Ros, trying to salvage what they could, but it was to no avail. At the end of the day, this was the worst business decision he ever made. _

_With an angered growl, he went to the bar of Esclava, knowing that Jim would pour him his favourite liquor as soon as he saw Christian's foul mood and he took his phone out of his pocket, composing an email to Ros as to why it would be best to part with idiots like Harvey. "We all make mistakes" would not cut it. _

_Still, he had the unpleasant surprise to find out that Jim was not at his post at the bar. He liked Jim because he was an incessant chatterbox, providing Christian some background noise that he enjoyed whilst working, even though he never paid attention to what the barman was saying. _

_Instead of Jim, there was a petite woman, a redhead, showing her back as she was stocking up the wines and Christian let his eyes wander to her well-defined backside. The skirt of her uniform was perfectly outlining her ass and Christian could easily see himself pounding into the girl from behind, grabbing her behind to test its firmness. _

_He ordered his drink, and she turned a surprised head to him, making him bless whatever reason that it was her in front of him, rather than Jim. _**_She was a beauty_**_. A sweet heart-shaped face with a button nose and unforgettable bright blue eyes, clashing with the colour of her hair. And as if her eyes were not outstanding enough, she had traced her eyes with black eyeliner, making them pop even more. Her lips were marked with a deep red lipstick, making Christian wonder if it would smear on him if he could convince her. _

_He took an overlook at her, finding it hard to believe that a beautiful woman such as … Anastasia (as it said on her name tag) could content herself working in a hotel. Women with her plastic and her youth usually put to good use their God-given assets. Christian never necessarily judged. They were in a capitalistic world, and everything could be capitalised, especially good looks. But he usually stayed away from those women. They ended up sucking up his time more than his money, and he had no time to waste. _

_He briefly wondered how much conniving it would take him to convince sweet little Anastasia to follow him back to his room when he knew it was a lost cause by her judgmental tone._

_"Isn't it a bit early for something that strong?"_

_He chuckled, more to himself. Apparently, the girl had some sort of morals when it came to drinking hours. Did she have morals for all the pleasures of life? _

_Still, this reminded him as to why he needed a drink in the first place. "It's never too early when you're losing a fifty million dollar deal." _

_This made her roll her eyes. Literally. Instead of trying to get closer to him and his obvious wealth, she was rolling her eyes as if he was an idiot, and she moved to serve him his liquor. She asked which room should be billed, and he simply gave her his card, his eyes still on her. _

_It had been a long time since he had been with a woman, and the sexual frustration actually gave him both focus and thrive. Especially after he stopped fapping. So maybe this was why he reacted so strongly to this beautiful woman. He was just in need of release. But then again, he did meet quite a few beauties at social events, and he never felt such a strong desire. _

_"You're new here," He commented, his eyes going to her hair, wondering what it would look like sprawled in his bed. "Where is Jim?" _

_"On a break. I'm usually just taking care of room service."_

_Christian nodded before refocussing on his phone and to his fiery email. Harvey was as good as gone, he didn't care what Ros said. Still, in a corner of his mind, he knew he was going to bribe Jim to talk about this Anastasia girl usually doing the room service. With a bit of luck, he was amongst her assigned rooms. With even more luck, she was the one making his stay even better by giving him breakfast with a view without being asked. _

Christian cleared his throat, his eyes still on Ana as he recalled the sass she added when she chastised him for whining about his fifty million dollar loss when other people like herself had to work petty jobs to barely make ends meet. This was the girl he missed, he had fallen in love with. The girl who didn't care about his money and his status and would put him back in his place no matter what … The girl he hadn't seen in a while if he was honest.

He looked back at his speech, before setting it down. Fuck Roger and whatever positive message he wanted to convey to young entrepreneurs. He had a more pressing matter at hands.

With a sigh, he looked down at the prize, before resting his forearms on the stand and saying anything but the words he had prepared with his PR.

"You know, I had this whole thing prepared for this acceptance speech. It was all about hard work, passion, dedication and sacrifice. It's … a pretty decent speech. I was pretty proud of it when I finished it. But I'm sure everyone has heard a variation of it at least a million times.

So…I want to address something else tonight. I'm going to answer this question I've been asked so many times, I stopped counting. But the answer was always the same because I never really knew how to actually properly answer this annoyingly recurring question…"

He looked back up, seeing that Roger was clearly not happy with this turn of events. He glanced at his table and saw that Jamie was as passive as usual whilst Grace was focused on him, her brows furrowed, ready to remember and question everything he would say.

And Ana … Ana was still dead, with that fucking smile plastered on her face, the small smile that would say that she was encouraging him in what he was doing. How he wished she didn't know how to lie or bluff at this moment. He wanted her raw reaction.

"So … many times, people, and especially young entrepreneurs, have asked me what was the best investment I ever made. It's quite a normal question, isn't it? You want to know the secret of the recipe so you can copy and paste it. It's the base of our system.

And people always assume I would start blabbering about when I started my company. When I decided that I'd rather have sleepless nights instead of partying with friends when I decided that saving for capital was better than going to the movies and restaurant…Some people assume that my best investment was when I decided to branch out, and not only invest in GEH. I mean, don't put all your eggs in the same basket and all of that. And some people would say it was when I started investing in passive money such as stock markets and real estate.

But the truth is …

To this day, and I can't see that changing, the best investment I have ever made, was when I lost fifty million dollars and met the love of my life as a result of that.

Not only is she my driving force, the reason why I always try to do better, but she is also my rock. She is the only person in this world who has seen me at my lowest and still believed in me. She is … the reason I get up in the morning and always push myself out of my comfort zone. And she is the mother of my child.

You can't invest in anything better than that.

And I know you want me to talk numbers, profits and capital, but … at the end of the day, we all go to bed at night. And all the money in the world isn't worth the peace and serenity that I get from holding her in my arms when I lay next to her."

He paused, clearing his throat and looking at the crowd as a whole. "So yeah…Make sure you invest in the right thing before even thinking of making money out of anything. Make sure you invest in your life before you do your wallet."

He straightened up as people applauded him and he walked back to the table, his eyes solely on Ana, who made a point to kiss him on lips for the cameras as he reached her. But despite her bright smile and poker face, despite her thanking him in front of their close neighbours, Christian could see through the mask. She didn't hear him. She was playing a role and faking it.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

When they went home, Grace was dead to the world. Ana didn't say a word during the car ride, but Christian didn't expect her to; she never liked speaking in front of their security. He took it upon himself to put Grace to bed, putting a disgruntled child in her jammies, though Grace took the time to sleepily tell him that she loved the evening and spending the day with him.

When she was properly tucked in, he went to the bedroom, but the bed was empty. He smelled the faint smell of coconut, so he was sure Ana had taken the time to get ready for the night, and so he looked for her through the apartment, for the first time cursing at its vastness.

He found Ana in the living room, by the window and looking at the skyline, a glass of wine in her hand. He had noticed that, as much as she didn't eat, Ana didn't drink either. But probably because she didn't want to drink in front of Grace, just like she made a point to eat when Grace was watching her.

He cleared his throat, his hands in his pockets as he stood on the other side of the room, and she turned her dead eyes to him, filling him with dread. He wished she was angry, or hurt, or … anything.

"You…coming to bed?"

She gave him a tight smile and finished her glass before telling him, "Of course. Let me check on Grace."

He went back to their bedroom, getting into his pyjamas, his heart hammering at the conversation that was bound to happen. How would he ever be able to tell her how sorry he was? But he never found out, because she never came into the room as promised. The Ana he loved was dead ...

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, you didn't think I'd solve all of this in one lousy chapter, did you? I have been setting up the downfall for two whole stories XD (EVIIIIIIIIL)**

💚** And this chapter…I have been waiting for so long for THIS chapter**

💚**Now question time,**

**1\. Okay, first, who keeps on doubting Jamie at this point? WHO? HOW? WHY?**

**2\. We finally got the quote of the summary…what did you think of it? And its delivery?**

**3\. And many things have been hinted about Ana. By Christian, Jamie, Grace Sr … I know you hate me with my hints, but they're here to set up the story, and some have been here for quite a while. **

**4\. And Christian got off easy with Grace, but as he said, Ana (once again) paved the way for him. **

**5\. And everyone felt bad for Grace, but as Christian realised when he saw the box, it was also Ana's holiday, and he robbed her of that as well…Why does no one care about Ana **😭💚😭**?**

**6\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? AND a twist, what was your most heartbreaking moment? **

**7\. And what do you think will happen next?**

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	29. Chapter 27: The Sweets Stolen By The Dad

**My dear little broccolis💚💚💚**

**💚 So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

💚** Also, i****f want pictures of the story, just check out my Facebook group, Mina's Broccolis, and you will find pictures as the story unveils. And a few sneak-peeks here and there as well.**

**‼️ABOUT THE REVIEWS‼️**

**1/ So, before we even start going into this chapter, I want to remind you of two things. When they moved in together, Christian asked what she expected out of him in their relationship, and she said that she wanted him to respect her as a person and that she didn't want him to stop trying once he would feel he "got the prize". She wanted his long term commitment. SECOND, and most importantly, on Christmas night (and Jamie's arrival), Christian specifically said that something died in Ana's eyes. And he never commented on that again...**

**2/ Now, how some people still find ways to blame Ana ... is interesting ... I guess something did not translate in what I wrote ...**

**3/ And some still doubt Jamie T.T How can you? What did he do to you?**

**4/ And I didn't think the last chapter was going to make you cry ... but this one ...**

**‼️DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW‼️**

💚** Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy **💚

**Chapter 27:**** The Sweets Stolen By The Daddy (6,4K)**

**So, this title seems quite obvious … Both in intent and in position in the story … Do you remember what happened last time?**

The Sunday that followed was the hardest day Christian had ever lived through. Ana had slept in Grace's room, to their daughter's greatest pleasure. In two days, she had gotten to fall asleep with both of her parents and she was now trying to negotiate her way into their bed so she could sleep between both of them that same night.

Unlike what she usually did, Ana didn't try to argue, and it was Christian who had to remind Grace that she had school the next day. It seemed clear from the first light of day that he wouldn't be able to speak with Ana when Grace was around, and bedtime would be their only window.

Grace didn't argue much, and she asked her mother if she could make pancakes for once. Christian frowned, unsure of what that meant, but then recalled that Gail had taken over the cooking. Ana had probably even stopped making simple things like breakfast, and he didn't know how to feel about that.

Cooking had always seemed something Ana liked to do naturally, not because someone asked her. Some homemade truffles had actually been her first Christmas present for him. Over the years, Christian had always seen Ana enjoy herself in a kitchen, and feel relaxed and in her element, no matter how foreign the kitchen could be for her.

And yet, as she made the pancakes that Grace asked for, Ana felt stiff, like her place was anywhere but in the kitchen of her own home. And then it hit him. There was no music. Ana _always_ cooked with music on. This was how he discovered her beautiful voice and her eclectic taste. He tried putting some music on, something upbeat and joyous, but Ana barely reacted, focusing on her pancakes whilst Grace made him dance to _Barbie Girl_ with her.

Still, as they sat to eat their breakfast, Christian grabbed Ana's hand, his face hard as he analysed the cuts on the palms of her hands. It looked as if she had fallen, but it didn't make sense, only her palms were injured.

"What happened?" He asked, hoping that Grace's presence would force Ana to talk to him. He was very well aware that he was doing what she had accused him of in the first place, but this was the one question he wouldn't be able to let go unresolved. He _needed_ to know why her hands were a mess. It didn't escape him that she had hidden that very issue with gloves the night before.

Gently, Ana removed her hand from his to caress his face before leaning in and pecking his lips with a soft smile, saying, "It's a secret."

Grace giggled, putting a knowing finger on her lips as she tried to wink (and failed) at her mother. Christian gave her a smile and looked down at his pancakes, drowning his worries in his mug of "Best Daddy". Ana would never do something dangerous or…worse, in front of their daughter, and Grace did seem to be her confidant in this.

And then, he realised with horror what had just taken place. The way Ana had just acted was exactly the same as every other day after he came back to them. There was no difference. In fact, if they hadn't had the argument of Friday night, he never would have realised that something was awry.

How had he missed so much about her? How did he not notice? She was the love of his life, and he hadn't been able to differentiate her true self, from the fraud she had on display for the world to see. He focused, blocking out Grace as she told her mother about the movie they watched with her friend. He tried to remember when he had pulled the trigger, the point where everything had started rolling downhill. But he couldn't. Or…he didn't want to admit it to himself.

But in all honesty, there were two very distinct moments he could remember when he had seen a light die in her eyes. The night he had confronted her about Jamie, and Christmas night. Both times, he saw something change in her, and both times, he never even tried to reignite the spark that had shone in those sapphires.

Both times, he had been so wrapped up in his own self-pity that he could only care about the salvation she brought him. He never actually tried to see deeper on how he had hurt her. She had smiled, and he had taken that façade as an 'all was well'. He tried not to think too much about it, focusing back on the present moment with the girls, ignoring the nagging feeling that was inching towards him from her journal entries.

So, he started mirroring Ana: he smiled for Grace's sake and got stuck in this alternate, fake reality, only noticing how self-absorbed he had been right there in front of those pancakes. He had barely spent time with the girls since Christmas, dismissing Ana with the excuse of work every time she had tried to get him to have lunch or dinner with them. But now that he was spending the day with them, he realised how much Grace had always wished for that.

She was over the moon when she noticed that he had no intention of going to his office. She played the piano with him, she made him assist in taking care of her cats and fish, she picked a movie to watch with her parents. And Christian saw how good Ana was at pretending all was well. Grace did not suspect a thing.

Ana laughed, smiled and made conversation with Grace. She kissed him once in a while when Grace was watching. But there were other things that proved that she was dead inside. For every activity Grace shared with her father (piano, pets, chess) Ana just sat next to them with empty, unfocused eyes. And Ana had always been an active person. Whether she had a book, or work, or her phone, Ana never liked to sit and do nothing.

Well, she did something. She now had a glass of wine in her hand. At first, Christian didn't say anything, following Grace in her chopped rendition of _Comptine d'Un Autre Été_, but when Ana poured herself another glass when Grace and he played chess, he skilfully snatched the glass away from her. Ana didn't argue, or say anything at all, she just sat on the sofa, watching them play.

All day long, Christian tried to think of what he would tell Ana once Grace would be asleep, but he had no idea. He was sorry. For what he said, for what he did, for how he had treated the girls. But how could he explain to Ana how sorry he was? There were no words to describe his sorrow.

When it came time to get Grace to bed, Christian made sure to be the one to tuck her in, just so he could not give Ana the opportunity to hide in their daughter's room. Ana lovingly pecked the little girl's forehead and left them alone under the pretence of bonding time.

As soon as they were alone, Grace beamed at him, "See, I was a good girl. I didn't say anything about the ugly ring."

Christian chuckled without humour, feeling slightly rebuffed that his ring had so little qualities in his daughter's eyes. Grace looked at him with suspicion. "Are you _really_ going to give it to Mama? It's really not pretty. Nana's ring is pretty."

"I'll buy another one," he promised her, and Grace puckered her lips, looking at her father with puppy eyes, silently asking him to take her with him when he did so, so he clarified,

"Not now. But I might ask for your input when I get to it." _If_ he got to it.

Grace grinned victoriously, and Christian felt that he needed to quash her hopes before they got too high, "But it will be a long time, sweetie. In the meantime, it's our secret."

Grace sat up, clapping her hands as she exclaimed, "Oh, you can get her the ring for her birthday! Can you make a ring? Just like she's making—" The little girl clapped her hands on her mouth, a sheepish look on her face. Then she kissed her father on his cheek, and lied down in her bed, red like a tomato.

"Goodnight, Daddy. I'm tired."

"Is that why mommy has cuts on her hands? Because she's making something for my birthday?" Christian asked, his heart sinking low. Despite everything, Ana still took the time to make something for him.

"It's a secret," Grace said, not looking at him and refusing to explain in further detail what kind of secret it was. Christian nodded, not pushing the issue further. He kissed her forehead, and as he was about to stand up, she told him,

"I liked this weekend, Daddy. I like it when you're not too busy."

"Me too, sweetie," he assured her, though he was fully aware of the tons of work waiting for him on Monday. He just needed to resolve the issue with Ana, make her understand that he loved both girls and that he was sorry for his behaviour and words.

"Mama likes it when you're home too. She told me so. But she said that you are…like a superhero. You have a lot of work to do. But you still love us, right?"

"Of course, sweetie. I love you so much!"

Grace smiled in contentment, and Christian scooted her over so he could lie next to her in her bed. She closed her eyes, happy, and she let him know with a sleepy voice, "That's what Mama said. She said you love me to the moon and back. And every night, you give me a kiss when I sleep."

Christian let his daughter fall asleep, briefly wondering how Ana knew that he always passed by Grace's room when he came home. He stayed with his daughter for a whole hour, not giving Ana the possibility to hide with Grace once again. They would talk tonight, whether she liked it or not.

Then, he went back to the living room, expecting to find Ana there, but she was nowhere in sight in the spotless room. He found her in their room, already in bed, despite the fact that it was barely 9 pm. Sure, Ana always woke up with the sun, but Christian had never seen her in bed so early in the evening. Was this the reason why she had stopped waiting up for him? Because she had changed her sleep schedule?

She was facing away from him, so he walked to her side, switching on the light on the nightstand and for a brief second, he saw that she had been staring into space before she smiled brightly at him, raising herself on one elbow.

"I thought you were working."

He did not say anything for a few minutes, just looking at her and trying to see what he had missed. She definitely had lost weight and he still couldn't believe he had missed that. But there was more. Her dead eyes seemed a bit sunken on her face, her hair had lost its natural shine, her shoulders seemed to be holding an invisible weight.

He knelt on the floor, and she sat on the edge of the bed, slightly frowning at his position as he begged, "Ana…please, talk to me."

Once again, she smiled. That small condescending smile he hated so much. She pecked his lips and shook her head, "There is nothing to say, Christian."

"_Please_. Scream, shout, hit me. Do _something_!"

"Why would I do that?" She asked, incredulous.

"You know why…I am sorry, _so_ sorry, for what I said the other night, babe. You have no idea how sorry I am."

She caressed his cheek, and he took her hand in his hand as she said with the same disarming calm, "It's your opinion, Christian. I can't fault you for having an opinion of me that differs from mine."

How could she be so calm thinking that he thought so low of her? Her past had never been an issue to him because he knew it was part of what made her so strong…or _used to _make her so strong.

"Please, Ana. Tell me what to do to make it better. _Anything_. Tell me how I can make _you_ feel better," he begged, keeping to himself that 'better' in her case meant how to restore her to what she used to be, at best.

But all she did was smile, that same damn smile, that same pretence, that she was fine when she wasn't, and she pecked his lips, saying words that sounded false in Christian's ears.

"I am me. You're reading too much into this. I'm okay."

"It's not okay and you know it," he snapped, grabbing her face and feeling his throat tighten. "I am _so _sorry, Ana. I am so sorry to have been so self-absorbed I couldn't even realise I wasn't here for you. I'm supposed to be here for you. I'm supposed to be your partner. I'm supposed to be the one to make you happy, not mi—"

"It's okay, Christian," she stopped him with that insufferable smile and content tone. "It's my fault, really, I have always known where I rank for you, and I was stupid enough to forget that. I won't let it happen again. I'm sorry. Grace is happy, and that's all that matters."

He still had his hands cupping her face, and he hated the truth echoing in her blue eyes, even though that annoying smile was still plastered on her lips. He felt his heartbeat fasten with panic as the full meaning of her words registered to his brain.

"What do you mean you know where you rank for me? What…do…You do know how much I love you, right?"

She pecked his lips, her smile always there, taunting him, and then she turned to lay in bed. His heart stopped because this was clearly not the answer he expected. He moved so he would be sitting on his side of the bed, forcing Ana to face him once again.

"You _do_ know that, right? You're the love of my life!" He told her, a bit more forcefully than he had intended.

She reached to kiss him, tackling him on the bed, and it was as if a bucket of cold water had been poured on him. How many times had he declared his love to her, and she had turned it into something physical? He never noticed that pattern, because he had always been all too happy to actually show with his body how much he did, in fact, love her. But this time, he saw it for what it really was, a diversion.

He stopped her and put her back on her back, accusing her, "How can you even _think_ that I don't love you?! I haven't stopped loving you for years! You've been on my mind, in my heart for _years_! I didn't give that speech yesterday for them, but for _you_! You're —"

He stopped himself when he saw her face fall. She tried to turn, but he straddled her, forcing her to look at him, to acknowledge him.

"_Talk to me_!"

Ana gently shook her head, her face so much calmer than his. "What's the point, Christian? What I say doesn't matter in the grand scheme that is the grand life of Christian Grey."

"Of course it fucking does!"

She gave him that condescending look and he hated that she was so calm and resolved when he was so panicked and uncertain. She raised her hand to soothingly cup his face as she said in the most natural way,

"But in reality, it doesn't matter. You say it does just because you feel bad, and you think that you have to make me feel better. And you'll commit to it, for a month or so. But we both know that in the long run, you don't actually care."

He stared at her, swallowing his tears the best he could. How could he have failed so badly? How could the woman he loved be so sure of his lack of involvement? She could have slapped him and that it would have hurt less. There was nothing he wouldn't do for her, and she was persuaded of the contrary.

"How…how can you say that?" He whispered, not sure of his voice as his head hung low.

"How can you go on stage and say to the world that I'm the love of your life, even though you know how I feel about being publicly affectionate?" She retorted and he shook his head. This wasn't what happened. He talked to her, not the rest of them.

"I just…I wanted…I…"

"You wanted to capitalise on a moment. You got to say you were sorry, you loved me, and make yourself look good. I get it. That's who you are, who you've always been, Christian."

"No! I wanted to let you know how I feel, Ana. Had you not avoided me all day, I wouldn't have had to resort to such drastic measures!"

She opened her mouth to retort something, before closing it. Christian glared at her, moving so he was no longer on top of her and pulling her up so she would be sitting as he was, as he accused, "Go ahead, say it. I'm here. And there is nothing else. No phone, no emails, no kid. It's just you and me. _Tell me how you feel_, Ana!"

She shrugged, looking deep in his eyes of silver, "I only care about Grace. I told you, I know where my place is. You're the one who seems confused about it, Christian. Not me."

"And what's your place, then?" He gritted between his teeth.

"Remember one of the first things you told me? About love? Your first, second and third love are your company. You are a career-driven man who thrives on challenging himself with difficult tasks and overcoming them.

And…well, I always knew deep down that I had no space on that precious podium of yours. I always knew that I would never matter as much to you and that your company would always be first. And don't get me wrong, I made peace with that a long time ago. Not everyone loves the same way, I get that.

And when you came back in our lives, I gave you an out, I gave you the possibility to walk out and keep thriving in your work-life. But you swore that what you did to me, you wouldn't do to Grace. You swore that we weren't just your next challenge. You swore that you would find a balance. And…I was stupid enough to believe you.

Because the truth is, as soon as we were secured, as soon as your challenge was overcome and we moved in with you, you stopped putting in the effort. And I'm not even talking about me, I'm talking about _your daughter_ who sees you as the eighth wonder of this world. You skipped dinners, weekends, breakfast. You forgot to call your child when you were abroad. You missed her first day in a new school. You…you only cared about you and your feelings.

And yet, you had those little bursts of showing your love to Grace. Like with the cats or putting things on hold when she would burst into your office or flying across the country when I fell. For a moment, it seemed that your podium changed. Work was still at the top and nothing will ever be able to shake that. But Grace was a close second. So close that she wouldn't even realise that she wasn't the first. And I could work with that.

Actually, for a while, I succeeded. She felt like she was your number one like any kid should feel. She never questioned why you weren't home much anymore. She didn't question why she had a teacher for her piano lessons instead of you, even though you promised to teach her. She never questioned why we were the ones calling you, instead of the other way around. She truly believed that you loved her more than anything."

She let out a small sigh and added, "In her eyes, this is the only time you have screwed up…don't do it again. A child can only give you so many chances Christian."

Christian kept his eyes on Ana, waiting for her to finish her tirade, but it seemed like she did. And so, he brought his hand to her face, leaning so his forehead leaned against hers. She talked all about Grace, but…

"What about you, Ana? Where do you think you stand on this _podium_?"

"I told you, Christian. I never stood on it. I never have been, and never will be, a priority. I've always known that."

He closed his eyes, feeling his heart shatter onto the floor. How could the love of his life think that? How could she think that she mattered so little to him when there was nothing he wouldn't do for her? All she had to do was ask.

"You've _always_ known that?" He repeated incredulously, hoping that it was just the past few months that played against him, and not how she truly felt.

"Yes. Whether it was when I was under your employment, or when we got back together, I have always known my place, Christian. Grace may have stolen number two, but work will always be number one and three and I have no business on that podium. You love your job and you appreciate me."

This certainly caused him to open his eyes. He grasped her face with both his hands as he growled, "That's not true!"

"It is and you know it. Otherwise, you would have been home more often. You would have taken me on real dates. You would have given me _at least_ one day out of the two we spent in Dubai. You've never given me as much attention as you give to your work. The only person who can stop you from working is Grace. It has never been me, and it never will be."

"You want me to stop working?" He asked, ready to do anything that she would ask. He would think of the logistics later on. He could work from home if she wanted him to be more present. He could…

"No. I want you to stop living on this cloud where you think I'm the love of your life. At best, I'm your mistress."

Another slap in the face for him. He wanted to cry. It was much worse than what he had read in her diary. She didn't just feel lonely and not listened to, she didn't feel love.

"Is that really how you feel?"

"It's the reality of us, Christian. I don't matter that much to you. It's okay. You don't have to pretend. I've made peace with it."

Christian closed his eyes again, refusing to cry in front of her again as he sat back on his heels. How had things gone so wrong? How did he go from him being so happy just a week ago and on his way to propose, to the woman he loved thinking he treated her like a mistress and being content with that?

"How…how can you even _think_ that?"

"Because you said so, time and time again. My dreams don't matter, my job doesn't matter, my feelings don't matter, my aspirations don't matter. Even my gifts don't matter. So why should I think that _I_ matter? What am I without all of those? I'm just a nice accommodation that makes your life better."

His lower lip trembled, and he once again had to close his eyes to stop himself from tearing up. She did tell him that she was feeling lonely, but he dismissed it, just like he dismissed her doubts when it came to Grace and her education, just like he dismissed the importance of her job and charity work.

But…he loved her. Unlike her, he had told her repeatedly that he loved her, that she was the best thing that ever happened to him, that she was the love of his life. Surely, his word had some weight. He had always been a man of his word, and she knew that.

"Is that really what you think? That you don't matter to me?" He asked, his voice wavering under the emotion.

"I'm just being realistic, Christian."

"Is that why you never told me that you love me?"

"I love you," she simply said, pecking his lips and he snapped his eyes open, fire burning in the honey of his eyes.

"You don't mean it," he accused, a tear rolling from the corner of his eye. "How can you think that I don't love you?" He choked on his tears but didn't let go of her face.

"You're the love of my life! I meant every word I said yesterday! Do you think I would have had this speech for anyone? I didn't do it to capitalise on it! I did it because _I love you_!"

She grimaced under the pressure his hands had on her face, and he slightly loosened his grip on her, though he kept her precious face in his hands. He looked deep into the blue of her eyes, hating that she was still so calm and resolved. It was like she wasn't feeling anything like she was just explaining something to a small child. He would have rather she screamed at him.

"And that's your idea of love, then? Embarrassing me in front of people I don't know?"

He paled. All he had thought about at that moment was to let her and the world know how he felt. She might have told him about her discomfort of public display of attention, but she never objected to it.

"I was just telling you how much I love you. Who cares about the rest of them?"

"I do, because I'm the one facing the consequences of such a 'gesture'. And nonetheless, you know how uncomfortable I am with that kind of a display. But you still did it.

Love isn't forcing the other to see and accept your feelings. It's also understanding the other, their fears, their insecurities and cater to them.

_I_ did that for you. I told Jamie to stay away because you were uncomfortable. I made sure not to befriend men because you were jealous. I turned down a golden opportunity to make sure I could help children and make a change because of your feelings in the matter. I left my hometown for you, along with the only friends I have. I even accepted completely relying on you financially, even though it went against all my instincts.

When was the last time you did anything for _me_, Christian? Not for you, not for us or our family, not for your company, but for _me_?"

She waited for him to give her just one example, but he couldn't think of a single one. Everything he did, it had been for him or Grace or the company. Even when he went to see her in LA after Mary's death, it was because he had wanted to prove to her he could be there for her, not just because she had needed him.

He watched her close her eyes and take a deep breath. She was stronger than him, she was not going to cry in front of him, not when he had hurt her so much, not when she had so little faith in his love for her.

"And every time I tried to tell you how I felt, every time I tried to tell you that I needed more than two seconds of your presence but actually your support, you dismissed me. It's all in my head, right? I'm not lonely or insecure or unsure, I'm just overthinking.

And the sad thing is…I hate myself for it. Because I am too deep in this relationship. I hate myself for loving you so much. Because the truth is, if anyone I knew was in this exact situation, I would have told them to get out of this toxic relationship. I've been in this situation once, and I never wanted to go back down, but here I am. Stupid and weak, not even strong enough to show my own baby what I should actually do."

Christian didn't even know how he was breathing. He felt as if his lungs had left him. All the things no man ever wanted to hear from the mouth of the woman he loved, they were all here. And he had no idea how to fix it. He had no idea how to make her believe in him again. She was so calm, so resigned, so…unfeeling.

But worse, there was this feeling that she was saying goodbye, that she was leaving him, and he couldn't bear it.

"What are you saying? We can work on it!"

"Can we? You're going to be here for a month, all loving and sweet, and then my heart will break again. You don't know how to love. You don't even know how to accept someone's saw."

"Don't say that," He begged, closing his eyes to hide his hurt. He loved her. She just needed to tell him what to do to prove to her that he did.

"Don't say that. I love you, you're all my life. Tell me what to do. I'll do whatever you want, but don't leave."

She gently took his hands, which were still clutching her face, and pried them away, keeping them in hers as she said with her soft voice,

"It's okay, I told you already. I forgot my place for a moment. Give me some time and I will get back to it."

This sounded so much like a goodbye. He opened his eyes, clasping her hands in his as he said with panic, "Ana, you can't leave me! You can't leave _us!_ What about us? What about Grace? I want to marry you! I want to have kids with you!"

And finally, Ana's face showed something more than her calm serenity. Her poker face crumbled, leaving place to…a ghost. He was seeing the Ana she had been hiding under her sweet smile and soft-spoken words. And as Jamie said, she was a ghost. It even seemed that her face suddenly became more hollowed, her eyes even more lost in their sockets, her cheekbones sticking out in a worrying way.

She raised her hand, ready to slap him but she never gave suit to her move. Instead, she clutched her fist to her chest, suddenly struggling to breathe as Christian couldn't deny what he was witnessing: her heart was literally breaking.

A small sob escaped her lips before she put more distance between them and she curled up in the foetal position and said in a sad whisper, "You're a cruel man, Christian Grey."

He had never seen her act like that, and a part of him wondered if this was just a nightmare. The way she phased from impassable to…ghoulish was frightening. But her broken voice was even more terrifying. He had wanted some emotions, but now, he would give anything to get back to her calm and unfazed voice.

"Ana, babe..." He reached out to touch her arm. She turned to show him her back, but he saw the way her shoulders shook. _She was crying_.

"How low do you think you can drag me, Christian? Is it not enough that you took my life away? Now you have to drag my dreams against me, just like you did my daughter?"

"No, Ana…I do want kids," he swore. This was a conversation he had wanted to have with her, but admittedly, he hadn't been home often enough to do so.

"And why would I have more kids with someone who's never home? With someone who thinks that spending time with his family is a waste if he can't capitalise on it? With someone who doesn't even remember a simple promise he made to his daughter! Why would I impose that on another child? _I_ am not that cruel, Christian Grey."

He winced at the implication, feeling that it was unwarranted to call him cruel when all he wanted was to extend their family. He had his flaws, but he would work on them.

"I'll be here more often," he promised.

"No, you won't. Because you said it yourself, you are selfish. You'll be here for a while and when you'll feel Grace has forgiven you, you'll go back to your first love."

"You are my love," he countered, refusing to admit to her stupid logic of a podium. She was his everything, and he would be damned if she didn't realise this.

She let out a dark disbelieving chuckle, wrapping her arms around herself to bring some sort of warmth or stability to herself as she venomously lashed out at him.

"Am I? I only asked one thing of you: for you to treat me like an equal. But you can't even think of that. Because my career is not as important as yours, because my aspirations are laughable, because I have no family unlike you. And…I gave myself to you, Christian. Body, heart and soul. But because it wasn't in the way you wanted, you made me feel like…It wasn't enough.

You keep saying that you love me, but you never showed me that you did. Even our lovemaking has become more about you, than about us…I feel…I lost your respect, because when we were under contract, you would at least listen to me when I would talk to you, you would respect my choices instead of imposing your opinions, using my daughter to prove your point, you would…actually open the goddamn gifts I gave you, instead of letting them collect dust."

Christian glanced at the nightstand where the deck of cards from Dubai was hidden, and he tried to take Ana in his arms, but she refused. He had been meaning to open the decks and play with them together with her at some point, but he had been too busy.

For what seemed like forever, they remained like this, until Ana got up, her back still facing him. She tore the sheet from the bed and wrapped herself in it, her shoulders still shaking with silent sobs, but when she spoke, her voice was strong and clear of tears.

"Please, if you love me as you pretend you do, respect me enough to give me the time and space I need to regain my composure. I'll be back to normal in no time. Just give me that and it will be as if this weekend never happened. I'll be back to normal. I'm sorry about tonight."

Christian watched her walk away, and his heart finally faded to dust. This was wrong on so many levels. For a moment, he considered going after her, but he had no idea what to tell her. She didn't listen because he had broken her too many times.

So, he walked to his nightstand, taking the deck of cards that she had wanted him to open so many times, and then he walked out of the bedroom, unable to stay a moment longer in the room she had deserted.

He considered going to his office, but as he walked there, he heard her sobs coming from the library, and so, he decided to go to his actual office, the deck of cards safely in the pocket of his coat. He couldn't bear listening to her cry all night long because of him.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** So, did you cry? I'm sorry if you did. It was hard for me to write as well. **

💚** And there is no flashback here on purpose, because … I didn't want to ruin the continuity of the angst XD (evil)**

💚**Now question time,**

**1\. Okay, let's start with something positive … Grace? The ring is ugly, and she let out a little something… **

**2\. We finally had the convo you all have been waiting for. And as Ana said, she did try to talk to him. Once again, I never claimed Christian to be a reliable narrator.**

**3\. And how do you feel about Ana and her moods in that chapter?**

**4\. And a few of you got what is happening to Ana, and many others are ready to blame it all on her, so I can't wait to read how this is all her fault. **

**5\. And how do you feel about Christian? Hihi**

**6\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? AND a twist, what was your most heartbreaking moment? Mine was the "You're a cruel man."**

**7\. And what do you think will happen next?**

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	30. Chapter 28: Just Because You Have The

**My dear little broccolis💚💚💚**

**💚 So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

💚** Also, i****f want pictures of the story, just check out my Facebook group, Mina's Broccolis, and you will find pictures as the story unveils. And a few sneak-peeks here and there as well.**

**‼️ABOUT THE REVIEWS‼️**

**1/ So, people are baffled that Christian hasn't opened his gifts ... Shall I remind you of the letter of four years he did not read even though it was in his possession?**

**2/ For those saying that there was no communication, I feel that Christian and Ana have not been clear enough. Ana did communicate with Christian when she was feeling down, but Christian dismissed her feelings each and every time, so she stopped. There is no point talking if you aren't going to be heard.**

**3/ And this was not Christian's first relationship. I don't know where you got this idea. He had had relationships in the past, and they all ended badly because of his priorities and where they lie ... **

**4/ And when Ana called Christian cruel ... Do remember that he has always been adamant about his views on kids, and just as he feels she is "slipping away", he tells her he wants kids ... knowing it was her dream for so long ... From her POV, it's cruel and manipulative ... **

**‼️DON'T BE A SILENT READER,**

**LEAVE A REVIEW‼️**

💚** Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy **💚

**Chapter 28:**** Just Because You Have The Sweets, Doesn't Make You The Daddy (5,4K)**

**So this title is obvious, no? You need to thank Miss G Cat for it!**

_**52 cards in a deck**_

_**52 weeks in a year**_

_**52 ways to show my love for you **_

_**52 places I'd like to visit with you**_

Christian kept staring at the skyline from his office, the deck of cards from Dubai in one hand whilst his other held an umpteenth glass of whiskey. He had almost finished the bottle by then, but he didn't care. He just wanted to numb his feelings.

The deck of cards had been anything but random. There was still the one from Thanksgiving in his nightstand in New York, but … he had a feeling he knew what it would be. The two decks he had on his desk had the same recurring headline: '_**52 cards in a deck, 52 weeks in a year, 52 ways to show my love to you**_'.

With the cards from Dubai, Ana had attributed each symbol to a destination and then given thirteen things they could do in each destination. Diamond for Hong Kong, because it was where he had made her feel special, clubs for Paris because it was where he had made her feel lucky, spade for London because it was where she knew she could show him around, and heart for Vegas because it was where she knew she had fallen for him.

The cards from Hong Kong were a bit more of a stance, they were fifty-two ways she wished he could be more present. In their relationship (spade), with their daughter (diamond), with his family (club), with her (heart).

For so long he had wanted nothing more than proofs of her love, and he had it all along, just collecting dust because he had been too proud to open a goddamn present. She had literally given him her heart in every conceivable way. Through speech, through her body, through her words.

And because he thought a deck of cards was not worth his time, he had disregarded it. Because he had thought charity work wasn't as important as his company, he had disregarded her aspiration. Because he had felt his time was worth more than hers, he stopped putting effort into their love life. As she had said, as of late, he stopped taking pride in giving pleasure as much as he did accepting it. He just took and took and took … and now ….

He let out a heavy sigh, his eyes burning with exhaustion, alcohol and tears. Though their conversation kept echoing, it was the way he saw her crumble before his eyes that was branded in his brain and wouldn't give him peace of mind. The way he saw her heart shatter on the floor as she desperately tried to hold herself together. The way she couldn't bear being in the same room as "the cruel man" who had turned her this way.

"_You're a cruel man, Christian Grey_."

That's what she told him before falling to pieces and crying her heart out. _He_ had made the woman he loved miserable enough to cry. And what's worse, she didn't feel comfortable enough to cry in front of him. She had fled from him because she couldn't bear being in the same room as him.

"_Give me time and space_."

Christian poured himself yet another glass, his silver eyes still lost in the skyline illuminated by the thousands of lights. How had he let things go this far? He had his whole life under control, and … because he had been too focused on his stupid speech, he had missed Valentine's Day, and everything went downhill from there.

For a moment, he lived in a sweet reality where he did not call Roger to work on his speech, but went home, spent the evening with Grace, praising her dinner and her gift, giving her the present that Ana had procured for him, and then making sweet love to Ana in their bed. _That_ was how their evening had been supposed to go. Not the disaster where he ended up calling the woman he loved an orphan who knew nothing. Not that cruel wakeup call.

He briefly wondered if he would have noticed on his own. If he would have ever seen her weight loss, the emptiness behind her smile, the nothing of her life, without the fiasco of Valentine's. But in his heart of hearts, Christian knew that he wouldn't have. He had been happy. _She_ had made him happy, selling her soul, her sense of self, her heart in the process.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, replaying the Sunday that he just lived. Trying to find one thing to hold on to. But … the Ana he fell in love with was nowhere to be seen. As she said, she gave herself wholly to him, and there was nothing left. Gone was her presence, her spontaneity, her little dances and songs, her laughter … Gone was Ana.

How many times over the past months had he listened to her, but not heard what she was saying? How many times had he asked her to do something just because it would make him happy? Just like when Ana said shortly after Dubai that she wanted to go to Canada and visit her friend there. Just for a weekend. Her friend who was a former prostitute…

For so long, Christian had considered himself an open-minded man, he didn't care much about Mia's profession because it didn't affect him directly. In fact, when Ana was still under contract, he had even hoped it would loosen up her strong moralities about receiving money from men (well, him). But now that Ana was firmly on his arm, he didn't want her to go all the way to Canada with someone who had made such poor life choices.

_"Just have her fly here. I will get her first-class tickets," he said, as Ana tried for the third time to get him to go to Canada with her and Grace. He had so much work to do, and he was certainly not going to sacrifice his precious time to spend it with a former hooker. _

_"It's okay. I can go with Grace. We'll discover Montreal together," Ana said gently, turning over in the bed and making Christian sigh. _

_He didn't want Grace to spend too much time with Mia either. If Mia was going to be near the girls, so would he. He didn't trust that girl. In fact, he didn't trust many people around Ana. Even Jose was starting to get on his nerves with his eyes saying much more than his mouth. It was as if all of Ana's friends were set on keeping her as far away as possible from him and he wouldn't have that. _

_"Babe…I thought weekends were our family time. How can we have that if you are miles away in Canada?" He cooed, taking her in his arms and kissing her neck, hoping that she would see reason. _

_"But you're working on weekends, anyway."_

_"From home. I _**have**_ to work. If Mia really wants to see you, she'll make the effort to come and see you. I'll pay for her plane tickets, don't worry." _

_God_, he was an asshole. Every step of the way, he used her dreams and desires against her. Mostly the ones about love and family. That was how he got rid of Hyde, how he got her to turn down the Governor, how he got her to stop confiding in him about her anxiety about motherhood and loneliness, how he got her to isolate herself from other people without him even trying to do anything.

And every time she talked to him, he kissed away her worries, every time she tried to get him to be home more often, he had sent flowers, every time she had tried to book an appointment with him as ASH, he had cancelled it.

Her diary said it all. She was … unhappy, and it was because of him. Because in addition to taking her love, he had never properly returned it …

With anger, he threw his glass at the window, shattering the poor small receptacle against the fortified glass. He was losing her, and if he lost her, he would lose Grace as well. Grace only loved the image her mother had made of him. She loved the daddy who sent her a piano teacher, who got her a thoughtful Valentine's present, who called her every day. The daddy he wasn't, the daddy he had never been, nor even tried to be. Because Ana made it possible for him to feel loved by both girls without him putting in any effort.

"_Give me time and space_."

He looked at his phone, his fingers hovering over Ana's number as the sun started to rise on the horizon. He didn't want to give her time and space. He didn't want her to clear her thoughts and realise she was better off without him. He didn't want her to say that…he had been _Henry_ all over again.

He never should have left home. He should have followed her to the library and held her in his arms. Even if she tried to kick him out, he should have gone to her and showed her that he was there. But… "_Give me time and space_."

And for what? To go back to that sweet illusion, she had turned into his reality? This reality where she thought she didn't matter to him? _How had he gone so far that the woman he loved thought he never cared for her_?! She called herself a mistress. _A mistress_ of all things! _Ana_, whom he had continuously loved for five long years, despite the radio silence, Ana for whom he had bought a ring without thinking twice of his plans to never get married, Ana who had been a constant in his mind for the past eight years now … a mistress …

With anger, he got up, pacing through his office as he tried to reign in his rising temper. It didn't make sense! She was supposed to know him better than anybody else, know he would move earth and the seas for her. She was his centre, and he wasn't even man enough to make her understand that.

What was the point of him holding the world in the palm of his hand if Ana couldn't tell he would lay it all at her feet?

As rage took over him, he trashed his office, trying to get this gut-wrenching feeling inside of him to dissolve. There was more to this, he knew there was, but he didn't want to admit it. He just wanted to forget the past couple of days and forget that the woman he loved thought she wasn't worth being on a stupid podium that did not even exist, to begin with.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

"Mr Grey. Your mother is here to see you."

Christian glared at the intercom, recalling that his mother had told him that she would come and see him first thing in the morning. For a brief second, he considered sending her away, he knew what she was going to say, and he did not want to hear it. Not after this terrible night of Ana laying her heart out in monotone and him drinking throughout the rest of the night, trashing his office like a petulant child. But this was his mistake, his shame, and now he had to face the consequences.

With a sigh, Christian got up from the floor to press on the intercom as he cleared his throat and strongly let his assistant know, "Conference room, Andrea. And we need coffee. Make mine a double. Then get the cleaner to my office."

He had refused her access earlier when she came, but someone was going to need to clean the mess he made. At least his literal mess. He gathered his two precious boxes holding his decks of cards and put them on the top shelf, above his expensive and rare liquor, before he went to his bathroom to take a quick and cold shower, to look somehow presentable to his mother, and later his partners.

Then he joined Grace Grey in the conference room, rushing to his coffee as his mother looked suspiciously at him. Before she could say anything, he explained in a grunt, closing the blinds to shield himself from the light of the sun, "Rough night."

She did not say anything, her eyes dead set on him as he drank the hot drink, hoping it would help him get through the day. Pulling an all-nighter and mixing it with a whole bottle of old whiskey had certainly not been his best move.

"Why did you want to see me, Mom?" He asked, closing his eyes and leaning his head back.

"No reason, really. I just wanted to talk about Ana. You know, the mother of my granddaughter."

This made him snap his eyes open to glare at her. Did she think he was so dense that he would forget who Ana was? Sure, he hadn't been present much lately, but he was not that stupid.

"I know who Ana is," he gritted through his teeth, and his mother seemed unfazed by his tone and anger.

"Oh. Nothing _you_ want to tell me about her, then? Nothing you'd like to ask about her attitude as of late?"

He wasn't sure what broke him. Maybe it was the sleepless night, or maybe he didn't wash off the alcohol in the shower. Then again, maybe it was the professional tone his mother used. He couldn't tell exactly what actually broke him. But he knew that he was suddenly planting the back of his palms in his eye sockets in a desperate attempt not to cry as he begged his mother to not say what she came here to say.

"Please Mom…don't say it."

He heard her move, and she was by his side, rubbing his back as if he was a child. A five-year-old, not a grown man who had accomplished so much for himself.

"You'll feel better if you talk, Christian darling."

"How is saying I drove my girlfriend into depression going to make me feel better?!" He snapped. _There -_ he had said it. The thing he had done his best not to acknowledge ever since he had read Ana's diary was coming to light. She was depressed. He didn't need to be a shrink to understand that. The only thing that was still holding her together was Grace and the love Ana had for her daughter.

"That's what I thought," Grace Sr said, matter-of-factly and he glared at her. As a mother or as a shrink, she was supposed to make him feel better, not make him feel worse.

"You thought I'd drive the woman I love into depression!?"

"Of course not. But Ana has been showing all the signs. She stopped all contact with friends and family, and only contacted us for Grace. She doesn't speak unless spoken to. She doesn't entertain any hobbies anymore. She doesn't feel passion for her job anymore. She lost a lot of weight, and I am sure that the bags under her eyes show that she has problems with sleep as well. It does look like the only reason she keeps on … functioning is her daughter, and that's not good."

Christian took a deep breath, ignoring his tears as his mother showed that he had not been paying attention at all. She noticed Ana's odd behaviour, barely seeing her at all, and he was living with the woman and had to be put in front of the cold hard truth. It was no wonder why Ana doubted his love, this was clear proof that he took her for granted.

"Has…something happened lately? Your father mentioned that she might have … had a miscarriage?"

He scoffed, selfishly thinking that he wished it was something so simple. A miscarriage, he could fix. Being responsible for Ana's depression … what could he do?

"No. It's my fault, Mom. She's dead, and it's my fucking fault."

She raised an eyebrow at him, and something in the way she was looking at him made Christian sure that she knew exactly what he had done and that she never believed his father's theories of baby blues.

"She tried to tell me she wasn't feeling well, but I didn't listen. I was too wrapped up in my own happiness that _she_ made possible. I never made her feel loved, or wanted, barely even needed. All she asked for was a bit of time, and I couldn't give her that. I kept her in our apartment and assumed that she was content with that."

"Why didn't you give her time?"

"You know why." _She's trying to play shrink on me, but I don't have the patience for it. I have a girlfriend to win back, at all costs_. "I … I have just been a terrible boyfriend and a terrible father."

"You missed Valentine's," Grace said for her son, and he pitifully nodded, feeling bile rise in his throat.

"I missed more than that, we both know it. I missed so many things and Ana covered my ass each and every time. And when she called me out on my shit Friday night, when she tried to tell me that I ought to pay more attention to my kid I threw it back in her face, telling her she didn't know anything about raising a family because…"

He stopped himself, his head hanging in shame. He still couldn't believe that he had used Ana's past against her, using her one insecurity against her. He never actually cared that she didn't have a family, because it never seemed to bother her. She had made peace with it. In fact, not even once had she brought up her past in a negative light. There were always some moments when she had been sad that she had nothing to say about her past in regard to family, but it never overwhelmed her, it was always a passing thing.

And now, he had turned this one scar that she had healed long before him, he had twisted it into something wicked and used it to hit her when she was already down. He wasn't an asshole, he was a monster.

Grace Sr sternly looked at her son, and when she spoke Christian heard the disappointment and disdain in her voice. "Ana is a better parent on her down days than you'll ever be on your best days. You may love your daughter, Christian, I don't doubt that, but being a parent is more than that. It's also being there for the ugly.

Ana has raised, taken care and nourished Grace since the day she was born. And yes, I am sure there were times she could have done things better. But Grace has never been left wanting for anything that matters. Ana nourished her morally, intellectually, affectionately, and even spiritually at some level.

How dare you tell the mother of your child she knows nothing about raising a family when she's the one holding your family together? Do you know how Grace talks about you? She says 'Mama said Daddy'. Without Ana, Grace would know very little about her father."

Christian rubbed his forehead, hating the new lash coming at him. Now that he was thinking about it, it was a recurrent theme, having Grace tell him that her mother already told him something about himself. It was now a certitude: if he lost Ana, he would ultimately lose Grace as well.

"She's going to leave me," he lamented, and his mother did nothing to comfort him and reassure him that it was impossible, that she loved him too much and that they would get through this ugly stage.

He looked at her, and she shook her head with pity. "I know this may hurt you but honestly, she should leave you. I know you take pride in who you are, but the sad truth is, you've always been rather prone to apathy, and Ana is the one paying for the consequences. And it's not fair to her."

"I'm not a sociopath, Mom," He growled, looking away from her, hating that his own mother thought that he was some sort of emotional monster. It was one thing that he thought it of himself, it was another thing to have his mother confirm it.

"Actually, you are. Not in the sense society likes to depict them, but you've always been antisocial. On the shortlist, you lack social skills, you've always refused to show your feelings or invest in them or the feelings of those around you, you feel superior to everyone else and I'm pretty sure you've stopped respecting what is morally right a long time ago. And let's not forget that you clearly don't learn from your mistakes."

Christian gritted his teeth, though he refused to admit she might be right. "I learn from my mistakes. Otherwise, Ana would still be in New York and you never would have heard about her or Grace."

"Do you, though? Why did you include Ana back in your life? Was it because you realised that whatever happened between you two made you grow and you wanted to start again and get the chance to be with your daughter? Or was it because she had slipped away once, and you refused to let that happen again?"

He looked in front of him, wishing it had been his father talking to him instead of his mother. For starters, conversations had always been easier with Carrick, but also, because right now, he was feeling worse and worse, and it wasn't even eight in the morning yet.

"I can't be to blame for all of it. She held out on me. She never told me …" He stopped himself. What didn't she say? She told him about her insecurities, about her dreams, about her feelings of inadequacy. Several times, she told him that she was with him for the long haul. And as Carrick pointed out on Christmas, Ana's way of saying she loved him was subtle. Like the decks of cards, he never opened.

"You know Christian, my parents never said the words, not even once. People get lost in the illusion that saying I love you is the ultimate way of proving one's love, but … But it's something you show, not tell. I never heard Ana say the words to Grace, and more than once, Grace casually assured me that her mother loved her. If you need to hear the words, it's not on Ana, it's on you. It's your insecurity that you have to work on because I can assure you, everyone looking can tell she loves you."

For a long while, he said nothing, his brain numb. It was like falling in a bottomless pit, with nothing to slow his descent.

"So, what do I do?" He asked, silently pleading his mother for a miracle solution. "How do I fix this? How do I fix _her_?"

"Look in the mirror, Christian. Take a hard look and ask yourself. What can't you live without? Work or your family? You tried having both, and you obviously failed. If you have to pick, which one would you sacrifice? Don't say what society wants you to pick, because you will go back to where you are.

If it is your family you want to prioritise, you will have to learn to let go at work, let others take responsibilities, make decisions for you. You will have to learn to oversee and delegate. Doing things from afar, and not being so controlling and hands-on.

If it is your company … you will have to let the girls go. It's not fair to either of them to keep them locked in a golden cage where one withers in order to save the other. You will have to let Ana go back to her own life, where you are just the father of her child and nothing more, and you will have to see Grace when she will be in your custody, and that's it."

He thought about it, looking in the proverbial mirror to see what he could live without, but the truth was, "I don't want to let either of them go"

"Life isn't always about what you want, Christian. It's understandable that you can't let go of your company, it's your baby, and you built it from the ground up. But in that case, you have to let the girls go. If you really love them, you have to let them go."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

After his mother left, Christian had a meeting with Jamie and Roxanne, in a video conference with Ros. He let Jamie lead the meeting, doing his best to stay focused on the conversation as he assumed his usual position of leaning his forehead against his fingers as his elbow rested on the arm of his chair with his leg crossed and his eyes closed.

When the meeting was over, he kept his eyes closed, and said,

"I want you to stay here Jamie. I won't need you in London."

He had been planning this trip for over a week now and the only reason he didn't ask the girls to follow him was that Grace did so well in school. Jamie did not say a word, and so Christian snapped his eyes open, only to find the man staring oddly at him. He reached for his pocket and handed him a small orange box.

"Ana said you might have a headache this morning, but you never have painkillers with you."

Christian took the box, his mother's words echoing in his brain. Yet another way Ana proved her love. She knew he would drink and made sure that he wouldn't suffer through the headache growing at this very moment. He swallowed two pills, as he nonchalantly said,

"You're in charge of the boat whilst I'm gone. Don't fuck up my company, Miller." This was a leap of faith, but it was a calculated one. Jamie never even once fucked up anything. In fact, he even inflated some deals in his favour. And Ros was sure as hell going to be on his back. And…it was just until Ana asked him to come home. Two, three days, max.

Then he got up and told Jamie to handle the day without him since he was in charge. He told Roxanne (who happened to have long lashes as Ana had noted in her diary) to be ready for eight this evening and that a cab would pick her up so they could take the jet. He wanted to make a stop to New York and see his box.

He went straight home, hoping to see Ana and talk to her, though he had no idea of what he was going to tell her. But she was nowhere in sight. For a brief moment, he panicked, before remembering that she had told the Governor that she would see him in his office, and so he told Gail to pack his bag for him, before slumping on the couch and looking at the skyline.

All his life, he had enjoyed panoramic views the best. He loved them and how they made him feel. Powerful and successful. And all night long, he thought of one thing only, the fact that the best view he ever had might actually be something of the past. He never found something better than Ana's mischievous smile. Nothing but her ever brought him peace and serenity. And … he might lose that forever.

Ana came home just before lunch, and Christian was on his feet as soon as she crossed the threshold. He saw the surprise in her eyes when she saw him, but she didn't say anything, just removed her heels before going to the kitchen sink to wash her hands.

"Eat with me?" He proposed, getting closer to her, and she turned to him, with that smile he knew was fake. "I'm not hungry."

"_Please_. I've missed your cooking." He pleaded and she nodded, though she did not cook, she just warmed up something that Gail had already prepared and left in the fridge. She didn't put a plate for herself either, so Christian let her know of his plans for the rest of the day.

"I…I'd like to pick up Grace from school, today."

"She'll love it."

He cleared his throat, looking at the broccoli on his fork. "I … I am also going to London, tonight."

At this, she paled, her beautiful (but dead) blue eyes suddenly flooding with panic, "_You're taking Grace_."

"_No_! Of course, not. I … have some business there."

She let out a relieved breath and smiled, getting up to pour herself a glass of water, to Christian's relief. It wasn't wine.

"Well, you'll get to christen your apartment. Don't forget to send pictures to Grace, she will surely want to know all about it."

As if he was going to set foot in _her_ apartment when she wasn't with him. He let out a sigh and got up, taking Ana in his arms and praying to all that was holy that she would not reject him. She set her glass down and rested her head against his chest, and the only thing he could think of telling her was the horrible truth.

"I'll miss you."

"Me too."

He revelled in those small two little words. So simple, so mundane, but so important to him. There was so much he wanted to say, but she had asked for time and space. So, he kissed her hair, holding her slightly closer to him as he let her know the unmovable truth,

"I love you, Ana. I'll always love you, no matter what."

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** Aaaaaaaand this is the LAST CHAPTER. Such a beautiful story. So sweet and cute … If you know me (and after two whole stories you should), you know what's coming, right? **

💚** And yes, there is an epilogue coming. **

💚**Now question time,**

**1\. Okay, I just want to point out that Grace Sr was there as a Mom, not a therapist. **

**2\. We finally know what was in those boxes! What did you think?**

**3\. And to make it all clear. Christian is going on business in London (that has been hinted for a few chapters now), and he is going with Roxanne, leaving Jamie to take care of GEH for a while. **

**4\. And he is respecting Ana's wishes for time and space … a bit to the extreme, I will give you that XD**

**5\. And yes, Ana was depressed for the majority of the story and it's sad that people were so quick to judge that she was a doormat or submissive. Depression is hard people, and all the signs were there, Christian just didn't want to acknowledge them. Once again, I never claimed he was a reliable narrator. But he chose to ignore that she was falling into depression, though twice he saw the light die in her eyes, without ever trying to make her feel better after. He made himself feel better, and that's it. Sure, Ana has her flaws, but in this part of the story, she did try to tell him, she did try to make him see, and nothing happened. And once again, there is no point in her going to therapy if she doesn't want to. She doesn't like to talk to people, and only talked to a very few people, she would not talk in therapy. Though therapy helps, it's not always the answer. That was long, but it was sad seeing people being all over her case when her depression was evident to other people … **

**6\. As per usual, what was your favourite part? AND a twist, what was your most heartbreaking moment? **

**7\. And yes, it is bittersweet, but I am French, and we love bittersweet XD**

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


	31. Epilogue: Sweets Don't Make Daddies

**My dear little broccolis💚💚💚**

**💚 So, this is a story that has been hanging in my mind for a little while, and here is the twist, you can read it as a TMI fanfic, or an FSOG one. I will update at the same time for both of those stories, so pick the characters you want to follow, or do both, haha.**

💚** Also, i****f want pictures of the story, just check out my Facebook group, Mina's Broccolis, and you will find pictures as the story unveils. And a few sneak-peeks here and there as well.**

💚** Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy **💚

**Epilogue: Sweets Don't Make Daddies (1,7K)**

Christian looked at the school where he was about to pick up his daughter, his conversation with his mother still echoing in his mind. He knew that his mother gave him a very easy solution, but he also knew that he couldn't make a choice without feeling like he was sacrificing a part of his life. He loved his family, but he loved his work just as much.

Maybe, after Ana had some time with herself to go back to who she used to be, he would be able to talk with her and find a balance. After all, he knew that no matter what, Ana wouldn't want him to sacrifice what he had worked so hard for.

With a sigh, he got out of the car and went to pick up his daughter, ignoring the few other parents who tried to talk to him about Grace or Ana. Though Ana still hadn't told him anything about it, he knew that the other mothers had been making her feel terrible about her parenting skills, and he was in no mood to pretend to be nice and polite with anyone.

Grace was overjoyed to see her father come to pick her up and when he proposed for them to go out for some waffles, she didn't question it, jumping on the occasion to spend some time with her father. For a whole hour, he let her talk about everything she wanted to talk about, indulging her in foods he knew Ana would be reluctant to give Grace after school in the middle of the week, and he even smiled to himself when Grace acknowledged that her mother would have certainly not let her order such a rich waffle with extra ice-cream on top of it.

It was only on the drive back that Christian finally explained to his daughter why he came to pick her up. "Grace, sweetie, I wanted to spend the afternoon with you because I won't be home for a while. I'm going to London."

"Oh, please Daddy, can I come? Please, please, _please_? Just like when I was sick, you can take me to your office. I won't bother you," she pleaded, and for a brief moment, Christian thought of taking Grace with him.

After all, she was his daughter, and she never made it a secret how much she loved London. But then again, he doubted that Ana would appreciate him taking Grace with him. Even if it was for a couple of days. In fact, given how lost Ana seemed at that moment, he even feared that taking Grace away might bring Ana back to that suicidal state she was in after she gave birth.

So he smiled at his daughter and reasonably reminded her, "What about your mom? We can't leave her all alone."

"But…she can come too. And we have a big home in London too. We can even bring Peanut and Gus, and —"

"Your mommy works too, Grace. She has to stay here in Seattle. But…I'll bring you whatever you want from London," he promised when her lips turned into a pout.

Christian took a deep breath before he told her something he had never made sure his daughter knew about him. "I love you, Grace. You know that, right?"

She gave him a bright smile and nodded as she said, "Yes. Mama told me so."

He swallowed his hurt, aware that Grace had no idea how much those words stung. She didn't know how much he loved her. She just knew that he loved her because Ana made sure to tell her for him. He gave her a small smile and took his daughter's hand in his as he insisted, "Yes. I love you to the moon and back. And even when I'm far away, I still love you."

"Like in the song from _Coco_?"

Christian smiled and Grace promised, "I will tell Mama to play the song every night until you come back. And you do too, okay?"

He raised his pinkie and smiled with relief when she hooked her own finger and sealed their promise; still, when she was about to let go of his finger, he held onto it and, as Taylor was parking in his usual spot, Christian asked, "I do have a big mission for you though?"

Grace immediately squared her shoulders, feeling important as her father was giving her a task, "Will you look after your mom for me whilst I'm away?"

"I always do," she beamed. "Mama even said that I was her little angel."

Christian nodded, not surprised, and he brought his daughter back home before leaving so he could catch his jet to New York first. He asked for Sawyer to come with him instead of Taylor, mostly because he trusted Taylor more to take care of his family given Ana's state of mind.

In New York, he left Roxanne in the jet, only doing a quick back and forth to their apartment in search of the first deck of cards Ana had given him, for Thanksgiving.

**52 different ways I love you / You love me**

For a moment he sat on the edge of their bed, looking through the cards, his heart breaking at each statement Ana made about them. Twice he looked through the fifty-two cards, and not even once did Ana mention how special and unique he made her feel. He never made her feel important, and no matter what other feelings he brought to her, this was something she had made peace with, to his horror.

Without being fully aware of what he was doing, he pulled his phone out and called her, only realising too late that it was well into the night even in Seattle.

"Christian? Is there something wrong?" She asked with a sleepy voice, and he erased the tear that slid down his cheek before clearing his throat and asking, "Why did you stay?"

"Are you drunk? Aren't you supposed to be flying? You said you were going to L—"

"I made a stop in New York," he dismissed, clearing his throat once more as he realised that he did sound drunk indeed. "I just…I wanted to know why you stayed with me. Was it _just_ because of Grace? Or was there something more?"

There was a small silence during which Christian let himself fall against the mattress, anxiously waiting for Ana to say something, _anything_.

"I already told you, Christian."

"Not really. You told me that it was stupid to love me, though."

"No I just think…I…" She searched for her words, and so Christian closed his eyes and he opened up his heart, telling her what he should have told her a few nights ago.

"_You're_ my number one, Ana. There is no podium. From the moment I fell in love with you, that fucking thing changed. There is no first, second, and third love. There is you and…I shouldn't have taken you for granted and assumed that you knew because you smiled."

He heard her sigh and move before she asked, "Do you really want to do this over the phone, Christian?"

"No. I want to do this in person. I will do this in person. When I come back. I just…I love you, Ana. And I wanted you to know that. In fact, if you want me to give up my company, I will take the first flight back to Seattle. I don't want to lose you."

"You're not making any sense, Christian. I would never ask that of you. You're just tired. When is the last time you actually slept?" She asked with a reasoning tone, and he had to give it to her, the last time he slept was on Valentine's night. Maybe the fear of losing her mixed with the lack of sleep was making him talk nonsense.

"Thank you for my decks of cards, by the way. They're lovely and I do want to start this tradition with you. What shall I get you?" He asked, aware that he had always been terrible at picking out presents for her.

"I don't want anything, Christian. Just go get some rest."

He swallowed, sure that she was crying even though she would never admit it. He heard her yawn and decided that he should let her get some sleep. But just as he was about to hang up, he realised that he didn't know when he would see her next, and so he admitted, "Ana…what I said this afternoon…I _will_ miss you…"

"I'm just a phone call away, Christian. Even when you wake me up in the middle of the night to ramble," she assured him, and he wondered if she understood that he would not come back as long as she didn't ask him to. She asked for time and space, and it was the only thing he could give her as of now. But he didn't want their time apart to make her feel like she should put their relationship in the past.

"Babe?…Please don't give up on me. Don't give up on us."

He heard her hum, probably halfway back to sleep, but it was enough for him. He knew Ana well enough to know that, even though she was tired, she still heard what he said.

So he promised, "I will make it all better." And he hung up with this promise. As soon as she asked him to come back, they would work on their issues, and he would make her see that she was everything to him.

They would get their happily ever after.

**.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.**

💚**Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed**💚

💚** Aaaaaaaand we had the epilogue. Finally. hope you enjoyed it. **

💚**Now it seems obvious that of course, there will be a part three. I will post another update to explain all about it. ^^**

💚**Now question time,**

**1\. What do you think will happen in the next part?**

💚** E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, everything else is mine.**

**Love, Mina**💚💚💚


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